Color the Sunset
by Soundspeed
Summary: Blindness is something that Toph has had to deal with her entire life. It's always been there and always will be. But what if all of that could change? Would it be the right path to take? In the end, there's only one person who can choose. Contains Tokka.
1. Ashes and Embers

Nickelodeon owns all rights to _Avatar: The Last Airbender._ I don't claim to own them. This work is not intended for any form of profit and has been written without permission.

I'm not sure why, but with all that's happening in the Avatar-verse lately, I find myself thinking about the show almost constantly. This particular story came to me as I was watching the own-tastic Book 2 box set the other day ("The Blind Bandit," more specifically).

As you may have guessed from that last statement (and the story summary, since it's pretty safe to assume you read it), this story is one that focuses on my all-time favorite Avatar character: Toph Bei Fong. Unlike most of my other ventures, I do already have most of this story's plot planned out in my head, so writing should go fairly smoothly. I'll have to try and balance writing this and _Order_, but it should go all right.

Oh yeah, and I should probably mention that if you are not of the Sokka/Toph camp, then don't come flaming me when…well, find out for yourself. Fair warning!

**Editing Note:** Ever since the premier of Book 3, huge, gaping inconsistencies between the show and this story have appeared. The story was originally set in the period of time between Books 2 and 3 which, given the context, makes no sense now. Thus, I was forced to shift the setting to a post-war timeframe. This meant re-writing entire sections and completely omitting others, so please forgive me if some of it seems a little choppy. I'm trying to fix the holes as best I can.

**Revision Note:** Went back and fixed a few things that I'd forgotten, mostly having to do with the new setting.

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**Color the Sunset**

Chapter 1: _Ashes and Embers_

The warm breeze blew gently through Sokka's blue and white Water Tribe tunic, passing over him and bringing with it a sense of peace, calm, and serenity. As he looked out into the distance from his perch in a tall tree near camp he could see the sun sinking into the horizon, setting the skyline ablaze with beautiful swaths of pink, orange, and deep, fiery crimson, a sight that was so much more believable, so much closer now that he was that much nearer the sky.

_Sundown_. It was the warrior's favorite time of day, one when the entire world around him seemed to be at peace with itself, no matter the circumstances. He liked to take the time to relax, reflect on the day's activities (provided that there were any), and let the mind wander. Just to sit there and _think_. It seemed like such a foreign privilege now, one that he hadn't been afforded much chance to indulge in just a couple weeks before.

Of course, his wandering mind in these instances almost always led him back to one thing: that one day, so long ago, it seemed, when he and Katara had freed that goofy kid with an arrow on his head from an iceberg. It had been unknown to them at the time that Aang was in fact the Avatar; to Katara he'd been a sweet, fun-loving guy, something that their village had been sorely missing. Sokka remembered a little ruefully how he'd first skeptically seen the young airbender as a potential Fire Nation spy, only to meet the _real_ threat later on in the form of Prince Zuko and his uncle. Things had changed since then, of course. Aang's mission had become theirs as well, their fates intertwined as they traveled the world, Aang trying to learn all of the bending disciplines in time to defeat the Fire Lord by the return of Sozin's comet. And when the end came, when Ozai finally was defeated and Zuko rightfully ascending to the throne, it seemed as though the sun shone brighter, as though the spirits had finally decided to release their death grip on the world and let the people take a collective breath not as four divided nations, but as one great, peaceful society.

Aang had been gravely injured in the final battle; without the use of the Avatar State he had been absurdly vulnerable, and it finally caught up with him. It wasn't anything that Katara couldn't heal, however, and he was presently recovering at a surprising pace. But even with his sister's efforts, Sokka realized that Aang was still weak, and needed a respite, not only from the business of the war, but from everything. Ultimately, he need to relax, to be a normal twelve-year-old kid for once.

His thoughts then shifted to the other members of their group. Katara, he knew, was stoic, strong, and unwavering. In a period of unexpected, almost violent change such as this one, she'd make it through just fine. In fact it sometimes seemed like she strived on adverse situations, pitting her admirable will against whatever fate could throw at her. But on the other hand, Sokka wasn't so sure about Toph. She was so volatile, so hotheaded sometimes that he wondered how she was taking all of this in.

And on the heels of that thought: _I wonder what she's thinking._ And after that, _I wonder if she's okay._ Then, _Maybe I should talk to her._ And finally, _What if she's thinking about me?_ The last one surprised him. His mind wasn't usually one to runaway irrationally, so he wondered why he cared so much about Toph's thoughts. Especially the last one. _Do I hope she's thinking about me? Why do I care?_ He didn't know the answer. The tree rustled merrily, its limbs brushing against themselves in the wind. It could have been replying somehow, possibly saying _Beats me_ or _No idea_, perhaps even _Maybe you're just hungry_. Whatever the case, it didn't seem too sure either.

As the sun sank ever lower in the sky, its brilliant palette of colors fading along with the daylight, Sokka began a slow descent from his tree, a little reluctant to return to the real world so soon. From his vantage point he could now see Katara and Aang seated together by the campfire (which he now guiltily realized he hadn't offered any help whatsoever to set up). Aang was still slightly weakened from his near-fatal encounter with Ozai, but he was getting stronger day by day. He was nearly back to his former self, though Katara still insisted on caring for him almost constantly. The warrior smiled as he thought of his sister's demeanor; surely her attention extended just a _bit_ beyond the boundaries of "motherly concern". Then he thought of Toph, sitting across the fire from the two, effectively distancing herself from them. This didn't surprise him; even he didn't like to be around the two of them when Katara was busy obsessing over the Avatar. It certainly didn't make for very interesting conversation, especially when all she seemed able to say was, "Uh-huh. Could you fetch me some more water?"

After a short descent Sokka made it back to ground level, noting with some dismay that he had torn his trousers somewhere along the way down; Katara would have to hem them yet again, though with her current priorities that could very possibly take weeks to get done, and he wasn't too keen on the thought of going pants-less for any extended period of time. He could just see Toph's face, contorting into some sickeningly smug little grin as she proceeded to hit him with her usual nasty sarcasm.

"Hey Snoozles! Is there a reason why you're staring at me?"

_Blubber._ Sokka felt an odd twinge in his chest coupled with an unsettling rise in his heart rate as he heard Toph address him. Perhaps it was the surprising fact that she could tell he'd been staring at her. Or maybe it was the heat that he now noticed rising to his cheeks. Wait…_Why am I blushing?_ He was just embarrassed to have been caught staring, right? Yeah, that was definitely it. Hastily tucking his tunic into his trousers in order to (somewhat) conceal the tear, the warrior hurried over to his friends, dropping down unceremoniously next to the blind earthbender.

"Well?" Toph inquired, her tone more pressing than before, though Sokka thought he detected a hint of _something…_a laugh, perhaps?

Almost as if guided by some unseen force, Sokka blurted out, "There's something on your face!" _Spirits, what the heck was that?_

She grinned slyly. "I can tell you're lying," she pointed out in a sing-song voice. For some reason, the warrior felt his heart rate increase even more at this.

"Hmph! Fine then," Sokka replied grumpily, seemingly back in his own right mind. "You'll just have to miss out on all of these moonpeaches I gathered in the tree." True to his words, he produced four round, snow-white fruits and distributed two of them to Aang and his sister, who up to this point hadn't uttered a word, perhaps out of fear of retribution from Toph or perhaps out of sheer surprise that Sokka wasn't buried underground yet.

A surprising thing happened then; Toph's face suddenly softened and she sniffled a little. "You're right Sokka, I'm really sorry." Her sniffling increased in volume, and she looked to the ground as if afraid to meet the warrior's gaze. "Can I have one please?"

_That was unexpected._ Sokka could feel his heart practically tear itself in two at the girl's disposition, and he was about to give in to her plea when he felt the ground shift beneath him and all of a sudden there was an uncomfortable stone spike jutting out of the ground between his legs. Looking up at Toph once more, he saw the girl's usual winning smirk plastered across her small face. "But then again," she began, "you may just have to miss out on having kids."

_Can't argue with that_. Grumbling noticeably, was about to hand over the fruit when he thought he saw something out of the corner of his eye. Turning slightly, he saw some shrubs rustling on the edge of camp, and then…

"Hey!" Sokka shouted, bolting upright and dashing off toward the outer perimeter of the campsite as fast as he could. He was sure he'd seen something…or some_one_…behind those shrubs.

"Wait Sokka!" Toph cried, getting up after him. "I was just kidding! Really!"

But the warrior had already vanished into the woods.

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_Where are you…_ Sokka was sure that someone had been watching them just a minute ago. He crashed noisily through the underbrush in pursuit, swatting tree limbs, bushes, and the occasional small animal out of his face as he flew past. Truthfully, he wasn't even sure if what he was chasing was real. Though, he thought ruefully, it had better be _something_ if he was going to cause all the commotion. He could already imagine the healthy load of telling-off he'd get if this all turned out to be a wild arctic-hen chase. His thoughts were turned to more important matters, however, as he reached a small clearing after crashing headlong into a briar patch.

There it was. There _he_ was. Whatever. A tall figure garbed in a long, flowing black cloak that hid its face stood at the opposite end of the clearing, almost beckoning the Water Tribe warrior to come and get it.

"Who are you!?" Sokka demanded, wishing his voice hadn't decided to slip into the upper register at that moment.

The figure seemed to chuckle. "You seem to be afraid of me." The voice was low, menacing, though for one wild moment Sokka thought it sounded vaguely familiar.

"Why were you spying on us? _Talk!_"

"You're in no position to be making demands."

This wasn't going anywhere. "We'll see about that," Sokka muttered. He drew his boomerang, and with a wild cry charged forward into the arms of his adversary. He seemed to be running with the wind, he noticed, which was favorable. _It'll make for a good, strong throw. _The figure didn't even flinch at this onslaught; instead, it almost seemed as though he rather expected it. As soon as he judged himself to be within reasonable range, Sokka hurled the weapon toward his opponent with considerable force. Not a terribly accurate throw; he had aimed for his enemy's head and instead saw the weapon sailing toward the chest, but it wasn't too bad for being on the run. However, a second later he saw his opponent simply raise his arm and knock the weapon away disdainfully, sending it spinning off to the side on its return course to its original thrower.

Sokka deftly caught the weapon, not sure whether or not he actually thought that would work. _Better not leave anything to chance_. Not wasting any time, he pulled out his machete and charged again, the weapon drawn back behind his head, enabling him to provide a quick, deadly slash. Once again he drew close enough to strike (albeit much closer this time), and took a mighty downward swing.

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_Where are you off to, Snoozles?_ Toph wasn't quite sure of the reason for the warrior's sudden exit, but she was determined to follow him, if not just to find out what, for Spirit's sake, he was up to. This certainly wasn't unusual; she'd had to track the warrior down just the previous day after he ran off in pursuit of an "enemy scout," only to find that it was, in fact, Momo eating berries out of a bush. She wouldn't be surprised if this turned out to be another one of those instances. But another possibility loomed in the back of her mind: what if Sokka had actually seen something? Given the warrior's natural paranoid disposition and his tendency to fly off the handle at a moment's notice, it didn't seem likely. But this possibility brought a disturbing thought to mind: _Sokka could be in trouble. What if he needs my help?_ She wasn't exactly certain why, but the thought of the warrior in trouble sped her pursuit, sending her tearing through the woods even faster than before.

Her passage through the forest wasn't quite as clumsy as Sokka's had been; her footsteps allowed her to "see" any incoming obstacles with relative ease. Thus, she ducked and weaved her way through the branches and shrubbery fairly quickly, almost with a certain grace about her, if one might call it that.

_You'd better not get into any trouble when I'm not there, Sokka_.

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Sokka wasn't entirely sure how he thought the fight would go, but he knew for sure that he'd at least hoped it would be going better than _this._ For what seemed like the hundredth time, he took a strong swing with his machete at his opponent, and for what also must have been the hundredth time, his enemy simply dodged away, shifting to the side noiselessly and effortlessly, like some elusive, indestructible phantom. It was like trying to catch smoke on a windy day. Sokka could feel his stamina wearing; he knew he wouldn't be able to keep this up much longer. Much to his dismay, the cloaked figure didn't even seem to be on the verge of tiring. In fact, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the exhibition, as though he were simply toying with the warrior.

After a few more lunges Sokka finally stopped, his body simply giving out as he doubled over, panting, though still keeping a wary eye on his foe, who for some reason allowed the warrior his respite. Night had fully fallen by now; Sokka was finding it increasingly difficult to see. Fortunately the full moon was out tonight, casting a bright yet eerie glow over the figure's cloak, giving it a sort of ethereal sheen that could only be described as supernatural.

The figure chuckled, confirming Sokka's already dark suspicions that he was in way over his head. "Is that all the Water Tribe really has to offer nowadays? I'm disappointed," he rasped. "You aren't what you used to be, I can tell."

Sokka, somewhat recuperated, resumed his fighting stance. "Who…who are you?" he inquired skeptically, feeling more than a little troubled by his adversary's final comment.

Even without being able to see his face, Sokka would have sworn that the figure was smiling as he replied, "That is not for you to know."

"What!?" the warrior cried indignantly, tightening his grip on the machete. "Well then, why were you watching us?"

"I have my reasons."

"You're out to kill Aang, aren't you?"

_That_ got a laugh. "Ah, my friend, so sadly mistaken. It's not your precious Avatar that I'm after."

"Don't go about acting like I'm your friend," Sokka spat viciously. "I know who my friends are, and you certainly aren't one of them."

"Oh, you're right. Having me be your enemy was going _so_ well for you."

The warrior bristled. "Are you calling me weak?"

"Well you _are_ from the Water Tribe, aren't you?"

_That _did it. Enraged, Sokka let out a savage yell and rushed the figure once more. This time though, he pulled his boomerang and hurled it as he ran forth with his machete in hand, hoping to create some cover. The projectile was arcing from the right; Sokka angled his approach so that his assault would hit from the left. He drew closer by the second, now mere yards away from his target.

But the figure had decided that enough was enough. Before the Sokka could react, his adversary had driven his elbow deep into his stomach with shocking force. The warrior could practically feel his windpipe collapse as the wind was knocked out of him. Sokka then felt the man's hands wrap around his neck, enveloping him in a choke hold. Dimly, he felt himself lift off the ground just in time for the boomerang to collide with his forehead and slash through his copper toned skin with its finely-honed edge.

Sokka could barely register what was happening at this point; the lack of oxygen was smothering his senses. The man's hands felt scorching hot on his neck for some reason, further accentuating his need for air. His struggles were weakening, his limbs as heavy as any boulder Toph had ever bended.

_Toph…_ For some reason Sokka found himself thinking of the blind earthbender as he struggled, bleeding and helpless, in his adversary's grasp with a wistfulness that surprised even himself. _I wish she was here so I could tell her I'm sorry about the moonpeaches…_

"Hey! Get your hands off of him, lunkhead!"

Right on cue, Sokka mustered up the strength to glance over across the clearing to where Toph Bei Fong now stood in full earthbending stance, a look of defiant confidence on her face that was accompanied by what seemed almost like pure, unadulterated anger. _Odd combination,_ Sokka thought. _She usually laughs and makes fun of people before she beats them up…_

The earth beneath them shifted suddenly, and Sokka felt himself drop to the ground as the figure sank into the ground up to his waist. Gasping greedily at the much-needed air, Sokka saw Toph heading in their direction, her steps shaking the earth so much that the man was jolted violently every time her foot hit the earth.

"All right, idiot," Toph said harshly as she came to a stop in front of the man, her face level with his due to her earthbending. "I've got some questions and I'm pretty sure you've got the answers."

After what seemed like a long time, the man finally spat, "I have no time for this. I will deal with you…soon enough." There was a blinding flash of red light, and Sokka felt a searing heat on his side emanating from the burst. He turned after the light had subsided to see that his adversary had disappeared.

"Huh," Toph grunted, spitting off to the side like she always did. "Well, it's nice to know he got scared off by a little girl." She then shifted her attention to the warrior, who was just now getting back on his feet. "You okay?"

Sokka groaned, massaging his neck gingerly where the man had just minutes before been throttling the life out of him. "Yeah, I think so. That guy's got quite a grip."

He bent down, studying the spot where the man had just been. Surprisingly, he found that the grass had been scorched away; whatever was left had been reduced to smoldering cinders. Even more surprising, though, was the object he found laying in the center of the spot.

"What the…" Sokka muttered, picking up and studying the object. It appeared to be a gold bracelet, intricately patterned and masterfully shaped. In the center was a large stone which appeared to be an emerald. He was about to show it to Toph and comment on how it matched her clothes when she interrupted.

"Look, are you sure you're okay?"

Sokka was taken aback. She never showed this much concern, especially not for him. "Yeah, I'm fine," he replied after a second of gathering his composure over her strange shift in mood.

She looked at him and flashed a genuine smile. "I'm glad." This was beginning to seriously creep him out, he though. "Now come on, let's get back to camp." She began to walk briskly out of the clearing.

Sokka stared for a moment and then followed suit, not really keen on the idea of being left alone again in the spot where so shortly before he'd been struggling for his life. "Hey Toph, wait up!"


	2. The Gift

Nickelodeon owns all rights to _Avatar: the Last Airbender_. I don't claim to own them. This work is not intended for any form of profit and has been written without permission.

First of all, I want to take this opportunity to sincerely thank all of you who so enthusiastically reviewed my first chapter. You guys were a big, big motivation for me to actually get this done and up on the site, so thanks a bunch for the kind and encouraging words. Also, I do apologize for the length of time it took for me to get this finished; I've just been incredibly busy with schoolwork lately, and yes, I know that's a horrible excuse. So to anyone who's still reading: Thanks for sticking it out with me!

Moving right along, here's the second chapter of the story, more or less picking up where the previous one left off. I was going to make a comment about the blatant Tokka-ness running rampant through _Sokka's Master_ (I started writing this chapter around the time of its premier), but that's old news by now. So anyways, here's a belated Turkey Day present for all of you! I know, it's almost exclusively a Toph/Sokka chapter, but hey, that's more or less what I set out to do in the first place. I hope you enjoy reading as I did writing.

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Chapter 2: _The Gift_

"…And he starts complaining about his dinner," the blind earthbender was saying. "So I slapped him!"

Sokka laughed easily, not really able to remember the last time he'd had a chance to exchange stories with Toph. In truth, however, he didn't think he'd ever done it. Nevertheless, it provided an interesting trek back to camp as she began talking about one instance when she'd passed herself off as a senior citizen for a day and had entered Earth Rumble IV under the guise.

"There it is," Sokka interrupted, pointing ahead as their clearing came into view.

"Oh, right." Toph broke off her story long enough to concentrate for a moment. "Not a lot of vibrations though—it seems quiet."

Sokka paused. "I don't see Aang or my sister anywhere."

Toph shook her head. "Oh, they're around—I can feel them, at least."

The moment the two entered the clearing, though, the place erupted into a commotion. Aang and Katara—more so Katara—leapt out in front of the two, big grins plastered across both their faces.

_"Surprise!"_ they cried, shocking the daylights out of both Sokka and Toph. They parted to reveal a wondrous scene behind them—a roaring campfire had been lit, along with several makeshift lanterns strung across the clearing from some nearby trees, putting the starlight to shame. "Happy birthday, Toph!"

"Wha-?" Sokka was just as confused as Toph was. _Oh, blubber…it's her birthday? I completely forgot! Nice going, genius…_

Toph said nothing for the longest time. For a moment Sokka thought that she would reject them, calling them all idiots and storming off to find solitude in the form of her handcrafted earth tent. But to everyone's surprise, even Aang and Katara's, she was lost for words. She simply stood there, taking it all in, searching for the right words to express herself, to tell how she felt.

She didn't need to.

Her smile and her embrace did it all for her.

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_What an odd feeling_, Sokka mused as he lay on his back, gazing up toward the heavens. Not too long ago he'd been in a death grip struggling for his life. But now, as night had fallen, the stars had seemed to have aligned themselves in that ever-so-perfect perfect arrangement, mapping out the cosmos in a manner that would have made Professor Zei jealous. The absurd contrast in mood almost made him laugh. That incident seemed so long ago, so distant now, like a nightmare forgotten upon one's awakening. _I wonder what I've awoken to,_ the warrior thought. He continued to gaze toward the stars, searching for the answer he knew they held. But they were agonizingly silent, like they always were. They didn't give up their secrets easily; one had to take a long, eternal journey to hear all they had to say, and once you got there, you didn't come back very readily. It was a journey Sokka didn't plan on taking for a long time. One day, he figured, he'd know the answer. But right now all he had were the stars. And even though they remained silent as ever, they were good enough for him.

_Is this what I've learned from this adventure?_ he wondered. He realized now that he'd never have paid any attention to something like the stars before Aang came along. Insignificant points of light, millions of miles out of any man's reach. Who really cared? But maybe that's exactly what he'd learned. He now listened to the world, his surroundings. And the world spoke to him, in a way he'd never before fathomed.

"Hey there, Snoozles."

Sokka didn't stir for a moment; Toph's greeting barely hitting him. But after a few seconds he got up, pulling himself into a cross-legged sitting position. He smiled as the small earthbender sat down next to him. "What's on your mind, Toph?"

The girl shrugged passively as a warm breeze blew gently through. "I guess I wanted to say thank you."

Sokka cocked his head a little bit in curiosity, though he knew Toph couldn't see it. "Really? For what? I should be the one thanking you, you know."

Toph dismissed that thought with a wave of her tiny hand. "That was nothing. I didn't even break a sweat with that guy, though I could see the same couldn't be said for you."

The warrior grinned sheepishly. "Yeah well…"

Toph continued. "I just wanted to say thank you for being my friend. For everything. For this_ celebration_. You guys didn't have to, you know."

Sokka was going to tell her how he hadn't had anything to do with it and that he'd been as surprised as she, but he decided against it. But something else bothered him. "You don't need to thank anyone Toph…but why are you telling me this?"

The girl fell silent for a long while, and Sokka started to wonder if perhaps he'd said something offensive. He was just about to change the subject and ask what she thought about stars when Toph spoke up just as he realized that it would have been an incredibly stupid question. "You're the only one I _can_ talk to."

That one took him by surprise. Even the trees seemed confused by this statement; their voices had gone silent as the wind died down. Now the long, awkward silence hung over them like a healthy coating of Appa's fur, threatening to suffocate the both of them if they let it. Sokka cleared his throat. "What do you mean? You can talk to Aang or—"

"No, I can't." Toph sighed. "What I mean is you're the only one who really _listens_ to me. I mean, they listen, but not really. They're too wrapped up in staring into each others eyes. You listen to me the same way I listen to the earth."

For this first time in his life, Sokka found that he was without words. No sarcasm. No snappy comeback. Besides, he was pretty sure that wasn't what Toph was looking for. Instead, his head was screaming at him to do something else. Something impulsive, instinctive. The kind of thing that got you killed in a fight. So naturally, he reached into his tunic and pulled out the first thing that came to his mind.

"This is for you," Sokka said a little shakily. "I wanted you to have it. It's your birthday gift." And in his palm he held out the emerald bracelet. "I know you can't see it, but it goes with your shirt." _Oh, that was good…_

Slowly, tentatively, like a hibernating tiger-bear crawling cautiously out of its protective den for the first time in months, a small hand settled into the warrior's palm and grasped the object, feeling its smooth, cool edges and metallic exterior. And clear and bright as the sun on a cloudless spring morning, her face slowly but surely molded into a smile as she said, Is…is this a bracelet?" Truthfully, she wasn't much into jewelry. But for some reason, the fact that it came from Sokka made it better by an order of magnitude.

Sokka merely nodded, which he realized she couldn't see, but Toph took his silence as an affirmation. "Thank you," she stammered, slipping it onto her wrist. "I guess it'll go with that meteorite you gave me a while back."

He almost forgotten about that. The bracelet now sat upon her right wrist, while the space-earth was wrapped around her left arm, complimenting each other. He was about to shrug it off, say it was no problem, when he felt her little arms embrace his midsection in a tight hug.

And for the longest time, they sat there, connected by their newfound bond. They had been good friends before, but now there was more, a new level of understanding present, one that couldn't be described on any tangible level. One that no human could ever see.

Sokka wondered what had happened. Had it been the right thing to do? Toph's embrace seemed to argue in favor. The wind picked back up, and the trees resumed their gentle song.

He smiled. They didn't seem to mind either.

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"Where have you two been?" Katara's inquiry seemed like nails against a rough slate in contrast to the peaceful time Sokka and Toph had spent on the outskirts of camp.

For a moment Sokka pretended not to hear her, hoping she'd let this one go for once. No such luck.

"Well?" she demanded? "I was worried about you!"

"Give it a rest, Sweetness," Toph retorted. "It's my birthday, remember? Let's take it easy for once."

"I know that, but still—"

"And more to the point," Toph continued, cutting through Katara's tirade like Zuko through all barriers of common sense, "how did you know it was my birthday anyway?"

"They went through your stuff," Sokka blurted out, remembering a few days back when he'd seen Katara looking through the earthbender's belongings while she'd been out training. His sister had refused to reveal her intentions then, but now they were clear as Toph's eyes.

_Wait…what?_ That was odd… He could have sworn a moment ago that he'd seen Toph's mischievous eyes clear as day, colored a deep emerald hue. But now that he looked again they were normal once more, cloudy as the sky in the midst of a thunderstorm.

"Sokka!" Katara protested, but Toph cut her off quickly. "Don't worry about it Katara. Just…don't do it again!" And quick as lightning, she flicked her heel and sent Katara sprawling face first onto the ground with a squeal.

Before Sokka could interject on his sister's behalf (which wasn't something he did very often), Toph cut in, "Just kidding Sweetness. Thanks." And in a move that stunned all of them, even Aang, who up until now had been sitting silent on a nearby boulder, she reached up on tip-toes and kissed Sokka on the cheek. "'Night Snoozles." And without another word, she crafted herself a tent and retired for the night.

Katara was so dumbstruck that she hadn't bothered to pick herself up off of the ground yet. She simply stared up at her brother in what appeared to be something in the area of horrified shock. "What was that all about?"

But Sokka wouldn't hear anymore. With an odd grin on his face, he excused himself and followed Toph's lead.

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The warrior ran. He wasn't quite sure why he ran; all he knew was that a great, powerful force pursued him. And all of a sudden, like a great, waking spirit, the earth shifted beneath him. He felt his foot catch as the earth swallowed it whole. Felt his ankle snap as momentum carried him forward and down on to the ground. He opened his mouth to scream in agony but no sound came out. The earth seemed to laugh at him as he struggled feebly, held down by his ruined appendage. He could feel the force draw closer. And that was when he knew he would die.

He turned his head just enough to see behind him. And then his vision was filled by a blinding flash of green light. And then the earth opened up entirely.

And he fell. He cried as he fell, not because of his inevitable death, but because of what he'd seen. Because of who he'd seen. He refused to believe it. But it was true.

This couldn't be the end. _She wouldn't…_

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Sokka awoke suddenly with a cold sweat. He wasn't sure why, but he felt like he'd been to the Spirit World and back. His head spun as he tried to remember what sort of dream he'd had. It eluded him, like some crazy little kid who wanted to play tag. He was it. The dream was running from him.

Something caught his eye that made him glance upward. The light. The sun shone through the flaps of his tent, blinding him momentarily. It was morning.

He smiled as the sunlight embraced him and washed away his earlier apprehension. That was then. Now it was a new day.

Like a nightmare forgotten upon one's awakening.

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**A/N: **Yeah, I apologize for the length, but this was the logical ending point. I think the next chapter should be longer, so hopefully it'll be more satisfying to those of you who wanted a somewhat lengthier installment. Anyways, now I'm off to watch the _Day of Black Sun_ premier. Extremely excited. Can't type in proper sentences anymore. Potential one-shot alert!


	3. Seeking the Light

Nickelodeon owns all rights to _Avatar: the Last Airbender. _I don't claim to own them. This work is not intended for any form of profit and has been written without permission.

Here it is: the third installment of _Color the Sunset_. I'm quite proud of this one actually; I think I managed the pacing quite well, if I may say so myself. I also got to stick a character in there that I hadn't originally thought would appear, which I'm thinking will add to a more dynamic storyline down the road. But anyway, enough of my rambling.

As always, enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 3: _Seeking the Light_

The warmth of the sunlight was so enticing, so inviting that it could lure even Sokka out of his sleeping bag and into the glorious outside world bathed in the majesty of daybreak. Even his reluctant and ever-relentless slothfulness couldn't annul its influence, and he emerged from his tent with a smile on his face, one whose origins he wasn't entirely sure of.

"So, you're finally awake!" The warrior turned to see Aang grinning at him, his perpetual state of infectious happiness unwavering. "We were beginning to wonder when you'd get up."

Katara, the other half of the aforementioned "we" turned around from her seat at the campfire to face her brother. "Honestly, I don't know how you can waste so much of your life sleeping."

"Hey, at least I'm up," Sokka retorted indignantly. It wasn't much of an argument, but then again, it was more than could usually be said.

Katara allowed an audible sigh. "Well, at least you're a step ahead of _her_ for a change."

Sokka stood still for a moment, expecting some sort of end to the thought, some explanation. When none came, save for a pleasantly warm breeze passing through, he looked around until his gaze fell upon a nearby earth tent which was seemingly undisturbed.

_Toph's not up?_ That was odd, to say the least. Usually she acted as his personal wake-up call, sending him flying into the air (and out of his snooze) whenever she saw fit. _Eh, she deserves to sleep in, I suppose._ He shrugged it off.

"We can wake her up after I have some breakfast," he consented, finding it increasingly hard to ignore the rumbling in his stomach. Without any further thought, he sat down by the fire and began to eat.

All was quiet save for the decidedly cheerful crackling of the fire as he ate. Aang and Katara had fallen silent as well, perhaps out of surprise for the warrior's promptness. He had scarcely progressed through half of his meal, however, when he first heard the sound. It was a peculiar sound, one which seemed foreign and a little unsettling to his ears. He disregarded it.

"Sokka, are you okay?" Katara's face was the picture of concern. As per usual. "You look a little bothered."

Sokka smiled through a mouthful of food. "Oh, I'm fine. Just enjoying the great outdoors and all that fun stuff." That was a blatant lie, and Katara looked as though she knew it; however, she didn't press the subject.

And then there it was again. That noise. _What is that?_ This time Sokka shifted visibly, drawing Katara's eye once more. Apparently Aang had noticed this time as well, as it was his turn to pipe up, "Sokka, are you sure you got enough sleep? After all, you usually don't wake up for at least an hour after Katara and I eat breakfast."

"Shh." Sokka silenced the young Avatar with a wave of his hand. There was that_sound_, that relentless, indescribable _noise_. Whatever it was, he couldn't help but feel apprehensive toward it. It was unfamiliar, and what was unfamiliar could get you killed. This was a mantra that he held closely, and it wasn't one that he was about to abandon. Taking care to make as little noise as possible, he began to follow the sound.

"Sokka, what are you—" Katara began, but quickly fell silent. Aang must have shushed her. _So _that's_ why I haven't taken her hunting._ Sokka crept painstakingly forward, his apprehension only growing as he realized he was headed toward Toph's earth tent.

_What the…_ Yep. It was definitely around her tent. Sokka pressed an ear to the side and heard the sound amplify twofold. It sounded like strained, ragged gasping. And it made his blood run cold.

"Aang!" he exclaimed suddenly, causing the other two to jump at the urgency in his tone. "Bend that tent down!"

"But Sokka, what about Toph's—"

"_Now!_"

Startled, Aang nodded at Sokka's demand and quickly took a stance. Then, with a powerful downward thrust of his left arm, the front wall of the earth tent sank into the ground. It seemed like an eternity before the dust cleared, and when it did, Sokka rushed forward, not really sure of what he expected to find.

But whatever it was, it sure wasn't _this._

Toph—at least, he assumed it was Toph—lay curled up in a ball at his feet. She was as pale as the snow on a pristine winter morning, though the comparison was a bit inappropriate. Her eyes were clenched tightly shut, and she was shivering—violently. Every couple of seconds she would open her mouth as if to ask for help, but only a ragged, gasping whine came out.

"Oh, my—" Katara had come up behind him. "Toph, what's wrong?"

_Not going to help much. _"Are you okay? Can you talk?" Sokka knelt down to the blind earthbender's level. Tentatively, he put a hand on her arm.

Instantly he drew it away. "She's freezing," he said urgently. "We have to help her. Katara!"

His sister only shook her head. "I have absolutely no idea what's wrong. I don't want to do anything and risk making it worse."

"I'm…" They all froze as Toph managed to gasp, "…So…cold…can't…breathe…" Tears began to stream from her eyes.

Sokka had seen enough. "We have to do _something_. Isn't there anywhere we can take her?"

Aang was busy pacing back and forth. "I don't know. We're out in the middle of nowhere. And I've never seen any sort of sickness like this."

The warrior's mind was racing. Toph's shivers had grown so violent that she was almost convulsing. _Think, Sokka! You're the plan guy! _"Well, the Chun-Jing River is just east of here," he thought aloud. "Maybe if we follow it—"

"The Chun-Jing River?" Aang perked up at the name.

"Yeah," Katara assented. "So?"

"Well, a long time ago," Aang began. "Erm…no, never mind. It's stupid."

Sokka was about to reply when Toph let out a horrid, strained moan. "Help…please…"

That was enough. "Spit it out!" the warrior roared.

Taken aback, Aang hastily continued. "Well, a hundred years ago the monks told me of a city hidden in a cliff face. To find it, you had to follow the Chun-Jing River north. They didn't tell me anything after that, but supposedly the people who lived in this place were all enlightened and scholarly. Maybe they'd know what to do."

Katara shook her head hopelessly. "Aang, do you even know if this place exists?"

"Well, not one hundred percent—"

"No time!" Sokka barged in. "It's the best lead we have. Let's get going!"

Even as Appa lifted off the ground and the friends lessened the gap between themselves and the morning sun, the warrior's heart felt like a lead weight.

* * *

For what seemed like the hundredth time that day, the Fire Lord shifted restlessly on his throne, this time accompanied by a rather audible yawn. It didn't exactly give off the picture of dignity and grace, but those things weren't at stake here. His sanity was, and that was quickly wearing thin. Another couple of uneventful minutes passed by, and he honestly started to wonder if he might just shrivel up and die right in his chair. 

"Fire Lord Zuko, do you require anything?" A nearby attendant had apparently heard him and had assumed he was uncomfortable. Which wasn't wrong, but there wasn't much you could do in this case.

Zuko shook his head and waved the attendant off. It was terrible to think, but without a war to fight, the role of Fire Lord seemed mind-numbingly dull. And even a bit unnecessary. Every day, he was besieged by requests for advice on how to renovate this building, repair that roadway, fix up this damage from the invasion, and just about every other nuance in the book. _Spirits, couldn't these people think for themselves?_ It was as if they needed his permission to do even the tiniest tasks. That may have been the case at one point, but this was a new age. An age of peace, of prosperity. Zuko was ready for the Fire Nation to be something other than the world's bully, and he'd hoped that the people would see that as well. But apparently, they needed a nudge in the right direction. Well, actually they needed someone to constantly hold their hand. They were slowly coming around, but in the meantime, they would bludgeon him with requests for advice and guidance. That wasn't his forte; that was Iroh's area of expertise. _But Iroh isn't here, is he?_ His uncle was acting as an ambassador to the other nations, traveling the world and spreading the Fire Nation's new message of peace and progress.

How ironic, Zuko thought. That was exactly what Sozin had set out to do a century ago. Only with different, less successful methods. A little ambition went a long way, and in his ancestor's case, it had spanned the entire world, inciting a hundred-year struggle and ultimately dooming Avatar Roku.

_Is that my family's legacy?_ Maybe it was, he thought ruefully. But no matter what his family may have gone down in history for, Zuko had decided that he himself would be remembered as a peacemaker, legacy or no legacy. Iroh had instilled this message of independence upon him time and time again, and he felt as though it were just now catching on. He'd have plenty of time to reflect upon it in the future, he realized.

But in the meantime, another uneventful fifteen minutes had passed, and Zuko was beginning to consider setting part of the palace on fire. _That would eat up at least half an hour…_

"Fire Lord Zuko?"

Zuko snapped out of his musings to see a guard kneeling before him. "Yes?" he replied, an obvious air of disinterest showing through his tone.

"Sir, you have a visitor. He says he knows you and requests an audience."

Zuko considered it for a moment and finally said, "Show him in." He really had no idea what any of this could be about, but at least it would hopefully prove more interesting than anything else had that day.

The guard bowed in consent and motioned for the throne room door to be opened. Zuko watched as the guards did so with moderate interest. _Someone I know…?_

When he first laid eyes upon the visitor, he knew it wasn't at all what he expected. Perhaps Ty Lee, maybe even his uncle, but whoever it was, they wore a heavy cloak that effectively shielded their appearance from any prying eyes. This alone began to make Zuko uneasy, but he composed himself and spoke in a dignified tone. "Welcome to my palace. I trust you have some important business to share with me?"

The visitor came forward and knelt at the foot of the throne. "My Lord, I bring to you a matter of gravest importance."

"And it concerns me…?"

"It is of the utmost concern to the bloodline of the Fire Lord!"

Zuko was taken aback slightly by the shift in tone, but he once again composed himself, hoping his guest would do the same. "Calm yourself. First of all, what is your name?"

"Ah yes, my name. My Lord, I am called Ying."

"Very well then," Zuko said amiably. The name didn't ring any bells with him, which prompted his next inquiry. "Ying, you claim to know me. On what circumstances?"

There was some hesitation on Ying's part, as though he were contemplating just how much he wished to reveal. Finally, he broke the silence and said, "We…I fought alongside you in the war."

That threw Zuko for a moment. It was possible, he supposed. After all, back in his days before he had become a fugitive, he had known most of his soldiers as "Hey you" or "Fool". So it was quite possible he'd known a Ying without really knowing it. He decided to let it pass for now.

"All right," he allowed. "Please continue."

Ying took a deep breath, as though what he was about to say was equivalent to releasing a great burden, like he was lifting a heavy load off of his back. "Have you ever heard of the Kongzhi?"

_That_ certainly didn't sound familiar. His curiosity fully piqued, Zuko simply shook his head and replied, "No. Please explain."

Ying nodded. "The Kongzhi is part of an ancient legend…it is a relic that allows a person to instill some of his or her soul into another. And once your soul is linked to this person, you can control them. Utterly. Completely. Without limitation. Every nerve, every muscle, becomes yours."

Zuko stared. Somehow this wasn't exactly what he'd been expecting to hear. It certainly was a change from "Can we have more gold to rebuild this bridge?", though definitely not a pleasant one. "All right…but what does this have to do with me?"

"In due time," Ying contended. "For this process to work, another relic must be utilized. The controller must use an item to channel his or her soul through for the process to be complete. And this is where the Fire Lord's family line becomes involved."

By now Zuko had decided he didn't like where this was going. "My bloodline?"

"Precisely. I trust you have heard of the Zhuren?"

_What? _"The Zhuren?" Zuko repeated. "But…that's my family's heirloom, passed down through the generations to the next ascending Fire Lord. It's almost as valuable as the crown itself. What does that have to do with—"

"While the Kongzhi is the servant, the Zhuren is the master," Ying said cryptically. "One cannot act without the other. The controller must utilize the Zhuren to channel his soul to the Kongzhi."

Silence fell upon the room like a lead weight. The rafters dared not creak, the curtains dared not shift. Even the birds outside had fallen silent; it was as if the entire world had been dumbstruck.

"Why…why are you telling me this?" Zuko's inquiry came out as a hoarse whisper, though in this silence, it sounded like a thunderclap. He found that he was gripping his throne tightly, his hands in a cold sweat.

"I have gained wind of a plot," Ying said coolly, thoroughly unfazed by any of the previous proceedings. "I fear that an attempt to take the Zhuren by force may take place. You could be in danger."

Zuko sighed, his composure returning. "My friend, you need not worry of such things. The Zhuren is well protected. It sits guarded along with my forefathers in the Hall of Elders. I don't believe anybody could sneak in and out of there with a precious relic and be caught."

There was another painful silence, and when Ying spoke again, his tone almost seemed to convey a smile playing on his lips. "No…of course not." And with that, he rose. "Fire Lord Zuko, thank you for your time. May the spirits smile upon your family." Without waiting for a reply, he showed himself out.

Zuko released a breath he didn't know he'd held. He didn't know what it was about the man, but it made him break into a cold sweat again.

* * *

An afternoon of anxious flying had passed, and Toph's condition still had not improved. They had managed to make her marginally more comfortable by supplying her with all of their blankets, though even that hadn't helped completely. Currently she was sleeping fitfully, tossing and turning and moaning occasionally, still accompanied by shivers. As the day faded into dusk and the sun started its cyclical descent, Sokka's mind raced as he struggled to find some sort of rationalization to the situation. _Something she ate? Lack of sleep? Homesickness? Katara?_ None seemed likely, which made him all the more worried. How was some group of people who may not even exist supposed to help Toph? What could these people know that they didn't? The answers didn't come, only frustration. 

"There it is!" Aang's voice sounded like heaven sent. Sokka scrambled to the front of the saddle and looked out into the waning twilight to see a cliff face approach in the distance. Immediately his heart lightened. _Could this be it?_

The sun had almost completely set by the time Appa touched down at the base of the cliff. A waterfall ran over the top, cascading majestically into a roaring, thunderous basin that snaked its way out and over a twilit landscape that, were it not for the situation, would only have been describable as pristine. Sokka, however, had other things on his mind.

"So where's this city?" he demanded, growing more frantic by the second.

Aang began pacing again. "I'm…not sure. The monks didn't tell me what to do once we got here."

The warrior felt like his head was about to explode. "_What!?_ But you said—"

"Sokka, calm down!" Katara reprimanded. "This isn't the time to get worked up. I'm sure if we just sit back for a moment we'll think of something."

"Wait," Aang said suddenly.

"That was fast."

"I remember now," he went on, ignoring Sokka's snide remark. "The monks told me that the doorway would reveal itself in time…whatever that means."

Sokka sighed. "Isn't that just a way of saying we'll figure it out eventually? Honestly, where's the answer key to this thing?"

"Look!" Katara exclaimed, pointing hurriedly.

"Wha--?" Sokka and Aang turned to follow her gesture, toward the waterfall. The sun had almost disappeared, its last rays shimmering out over the horizon. And with those last glimpses, the light shined off of the waterfall at just the right angle to reveal the image of a cave, positioned directly behind the water.

"Reveal itself in time!" Aang was practically glowing. "I knew the monks wouldn't let us down. Come on!"

With strength he didn't even know he had, Sokka scooped Toph into his arms and ran after the Avatar.

Katara lingered for a second. "Get some rest Appa. We'll call you if we need you."

"Katara, hurry up!"

She sighed, and anxiety filled her heart as she turned away from the bison and followed her friends into the cave, hidden from all but the twilight itself.

* * *

**A/N: **Ahem, my apologies for the interim. What happened was that I suffered an unfortunate injury to my hand which prevented any typing for a few weeks. I promise I'll try to be timelier with the next one. 

Oh yeah, and you might be wondering where I got some of the names in this chapter. No, I didn't just pull them out of thin air, though I would have been rightly proud of myself if I did. They are all (slightly adapted) Chinese words that have some significant meaning. So here's a quick vocabulary check (translations are loose translations):

Chun-jing - pristine/pure

Ying - shadow/reflection

Kongzhi - control

Zhuren - master

Hopefully that clears some things up. Until next time!


	4. Shili

Nickelodeon owns all rights to _Avatar: the Last Airbender._ I don't claim to own them. This work is not intended for any form of profit and has been written without permission.

I've noticed that as I go on, the chapters are just coming out more and more naturally, which I'll take as a good sign. It certainly shortens the interim between chapters when I don't have to take up so much time brainstorming the next part of a certain passage or section or whatever. Also, as the plot progresses, the chapters will most likely get lengthier, so overall I'd say it's something to look forward to.

Also, one thing that probably merits noting is the fact that however intentional it may have seemed (or not, if you don't like giving me the benefit of the doubt), I didn't mean for the entire story to be told from Sokka's point of view. You may have noticed this at the end of the previous chapter, but in any case, I'll probably start switching the point of view around a bit in this chapter. Sokka's view was just the one that happened to make sense for the majority of the previous parts.

Happy reading!

* * *

Chapter 4: _Shili_

The corridor was relentlessly dark, and Mai drew her cloak just a bit tighter around her body as she made her way noiselessly down the palace hallway. It wasn't the dark that bothered her; no, she was plenty used to the dark. In fact, she quite preferred it now to the all-too-cheery daylight. Normally, she saw each and every situation, no matter how dangerous or offsetting, with a constant air of detachment, an uncaring aloofness that probably caused more tension than it averted. But now, for whatever reason, Mai found herself on edge, unable to sleep, unable to think clearly as she always had. This was how she had found herself wandering the palace in the dead of night like some crazed insomniac.

This was not unusual; she had found herself caught up in this routine for several nights during the past week. It was easy enough to slip out of bed without Zuko noticing; that man slept like Kuei's bear when he was tired enough. She smiled fondly as she thought of her husband. No matter the situation, no matter how disinterested she may have been, she would always pull through it. And he was always there to meet her at the other side. She thought back to her childhood, when she had held a quiet infatuation for the young prince. It was one that had on more than one occasion landed her in the turtleduck pond out in the courtyard (which, she realized, was still there after all these years).

Mai stopped impulsively as she found herself at a large, ornate doorway. There was a dim light emanating from two wall torches, each with a royal guard standing underneath. She realized that she had somehow wandered to the Hall of Elders.

"Milady, do you require any assistance?"

If Mai had reacted at all to the guard's inquiry, it didn't show. Taking another moment for the sake of introspection, she sighed and said, "No, that's all right. If you could open the door, please."

"Of course." Without another word, the two guards did as they were bidden. The door parted open noiselessly. It was a maddening silence, though one that someone as stolid as Mai relished. Quiet as a shadow on a cloudy day, she nodded to both guards and stepped inside.

Up to this point, she still wasn't quite sure what she was doing. She hadn't wandered to the Hall with any sort of purpose, and now she couldn't find any tangible rationale for her being there. _I'm already up,_ she supposed. She didn't quite know what it was that drew her to the place. Perhaps some internal urging, some spiritual calling. Some deep-rooted sense of happenstance that just told her it was the right place at the right time.

The interior was just as minimally lit as the corridor outside had been, though through the darkness Mai could make out the giant tapestries that hung on the walls, depicting the firelords of the past. Sozin, Ozai…they were all there, suspended, facing each other in some eternal spiritual dance, never to be truly forgotten with the passing of time. Zuko was there too; she turned and allowed a small smile at the image of her husband and current firelord. He never had liked portraits of himself, but then again, he had an issue to deal with in that regard that most others didn't.

Then, like a swallowfish breaking the crystal surface of a serene lake, like the cry of a hawk in a pristine mountain range, there was a disturbance in the eerie, heavy silence. Not even a particularly noticeable one; a barely audible padding that only someone as taciturn as Mai could pick up.

And then, the firecracker in the silent air: "Strange, that you are drawn to this place as well."

Mai barely had time to turn around.

* * *

Sokka could only wonder what was in store as he followed Aang and Katara through the dank cavern, Toph hanging onto his back. Aang knew maddeningly little of this place; that much was certain. Apparently the monks had an affinity for only getting through half of their point, as the young Avatar was just as mystified by all of this as the warrior and his sister. Every rational fiber in Sokka's body was screaming at him, telling him this was a bad idea. But then the little body clinging to him reminded him exactly why he was doing it.

They had only walked for another ten minutes or so when Aang became excited. "Hey you guys, I think I can see something up ahead!"

Sokka squinted into the distance. Aang was right; there was definitely a light up ahead coming from _somewhere_. _Hold on Toph,_ Sokka thought. _It wouldn't be very nice of you to just leave me _now.

"Sokka, are you all right?" His sister's inquiry brought him back to the present situation. Katara smiled. "Don't worry, she'll be fine."

They walked on and the light grew closer, but it still seemed ever-distant, like some elusive firefly. Sokka was beginning to wonder how much longer he could go on; his feet were leaden and Toph's added weight wasn't doing much to ease the load. He stalwartly pressed on though, knowing that more than ever, he needed to be the source of strength in the group.

At long last, the tunnel widened and Sokka could finally see two large torches at either side of the cavern, the source of the light. Their flames were welcoming and at the same time ominous, and the warrior wasn't quite sure what to think as they waved enticingly at him, drawing him in and yet warning him to stay back. Beyond the light he saw with astonishment that the cave opened up into a huge chasm, one that was exposed to the night sky. On either side of the gorge there were structures carved into the walls which looked to be dwellings. At the expansive base sat a city, hidden from the outside world, one that looked so peaceful and unscathed that it may have been secluded from the spirits themselves.

"Wow," Katara breathed. "All this time, and no one ever knew it was here…"

"Halt! Who goes there?"

Sokka breathed out heavily. He had been expecting this; to him it had seemed too good to be true. It had been all too easy just walking into this place; of course there were guards stationed. He tensed up a bit, ready to reach for his boomerang at any sign of hostility. Truthfully, he really didn't want to fight. He had Toph to consider, and a hostile encounter in her state probably wasn't the most ideal situation. Aang and Katara could take the two out without much trouble, but he still didn't want to risk anything.

"Our friend is sick," Aang said, stepping forward boldly. "We need your assistance."

"What makes you think we can help?"

"Please," Aang went on. "I'm the Avatar. I have heard stories of your people's knowledge and wisdom, and if there is anyone who can help, it's you."

The guards went quiet at this. Apparently the Avatar was not a guest they had been expecting, but then again, that seemed to be the case at most of their destinations. Sokka wondered if Aang's little introduction would be enough to gain admission. Somehow he doubted it.

The silence was so thick it was almost tangible. The sepulchral air didn't do much to improve Sokka's sentiments, and he wondered how long the guards would take to make up their minds. They almost seemed to be silently communicating with each other, debating whether or not to admit the four, though neither of them appeared to move a muscle.

Finally, one of the guards spoke. "Very well. We will admit your sick friend, but the rest of you must leave."

"What?" Katara protested indignantly. "You can't do that! She's our friend, and if she goes, we go."

"That is not for you to decide."

"I disagree," Sokka put in. "We aren't just going to leave her with you, and if you won't let us in, we'll fight you!"

"We would prefer not to arouse conflict."

"That's your problem, isn't it?"

Another silence ensued, with each side daring the other to make a move. The tension in the air was an ember ready to spark into a roaring inferno at a moment's notice. Sokka had already accepted the fact that they wouldn't be getting out of this without some hostility.

But to all of their surprise, the guards relented. "As an enlightened people, it is our duty to aid those in need. If you feel so strongly about this, then you may enter as well."

Sokka relaxed a bit. Maybe this wouldn't go so badly after all.

The other guard continued. "However, you will have to excuse our precaution. It is not often that we receive outsiders, let alone one as powerful and influential as the Avatar." He nodded ever so slightly, and Sokka suddenly heard footsteps approach from behind him.

_Blubber!_ The warrior hadn't even considered the possibility of guards at the rear. Before he knew what was happening, Toph was roughly grabbed off of his back.

"Give her back!" he roared.

"Where are you taking her!?" Katara demanded.

"She is ill, and must be tended to," the guard said simply. "You three, however, must meet with Her Highness before you are admitted to roam freely."

"Her Highness?" Aang repeated before he was grabbed from behind suddenly.

Sokka felt a pair of arms roughly hook themselves under his arms and behind his head, effectively inhibiting his movement. He struggled helplessly as he saw another guard carrying Toph's little form off into the canyon. This only made him struggle more fiercely; he could feel tears of rage streaming down his face as he screamed, "Bring her back! I swear to the spirits I'll kill you! I'll—"

A swish, an impact, and then darkness.

* * *

"Your Highness! They awaken."

Katara groaned as she opened her eyes. Instantly she regretted this simple action as the throbbing in her head intensified. _What is going on?_ And then she remembered. The cave, the guards, and Toph—

"Where is she!?" she shouted.

"Silence!" roared the guard. Katara squealed as she felt a sharp impact in her stomach, doubling over on her side from the force of the guard's kick.

"Don't you _dare_ kick her!" came Aang's voice as he jumped to his feet. Instantly all the guards in the room had their weapons drawn and pointed at Aang with the intent of skewering him in a thousand various ways if he even thought about saying the word "airbending".

Katara could see this wasn't going their way. Whatever this situation was, they had to be peaceful. The obviously weren't in any position to fight or bargain (she noticed ominously that her water skin was missing), so she painfully pulled herself into a sitting position and motioned for her brother and Aang to do the same. Sokka complied, as did Aang, though somewhat reluctantly.

"I am surprised. I would think that people would be grateful to be admitted into this city."

The three looked up for the source of the voice. Katara hadn't noticed before, but they were sitting in a rather large room, well lit by multiple wall torches. The entire place was lavishly decorated with portraits and tapestries; she would have admired its beauty had it not been for the tense situation. It was a wonder how fifty guards could take so much away from a place's aesthetics.

At the head of the room was a large, ornate throne. Two guards stood stationed on either side. Upon the throne sat a slender, pale-skinned woman with flowing black hair that was decorated by an elaborate hairpiece. It was golden, shaped into a perfect circle with a swirling pattern radiating from the middle. She wore a long, form-fitting light blue dress that was welcoming yet exotic at the same time. Katara noticed that the woman was strikingly beautiful.

"I am called Jun-Mei," the woman said prosaically. "And you have reached Shili, the City of Enlightenment."

_Shili?_ Katara certainly had never heard of it, though she supposed that was the aim of the whole ordeal. The queen seemed friendly enough, but she didn't know how long that would last. She couldn't yet decide if they were in a favorable position. For now, she supposed, she would have to go along with it. The thought didn't reassure her too much. It was like having an umbrella with an approaching flood.

Jun-Mei, surprisingly, smiled. "Please tell me why you have come here."

"Don't you already know?" Sokka replied angrily. "Your thugs took our friend away!"

The queen sighed. "Ah yes, your friend. Don't worry, she is safe. But are you sure that is why you have come here?"

Aang seemed incredulous. "Why else would we come here?"

"That is what I intend to find out. Almost all people we admit into this place have some selfish motive—greed, most often. They are in pursuit of riches, of power. The only wealth we possess is knowledge, and that it is one thing that we do not give up very readily."

Katara stared. "You've let people in here before?"

Jun-Mei nodded in assent. "We used to be freer with travelers, but ever since…_he_ showed up, we have regretfully had to tighten our grip on that matter."

"Who?"

"A man came to us once, claiming that he wished only to learn more about the world around him. Being scholars ourselves, we admitted him, but he betrayed our trust. He stole a treasure very dear to us."

"What was this treasure?" Aang inquired.

"It is called the Kongzhi. A very dangerous weapon if used properly."

"The Kongzhi?" Sokka repeated, sounding very obviously confused. "What's so dangerous about it?"

Jun-Mei paused. "…We do not speak of it. It is too horrible a power to comprehend."

"But—"

She held up a hand, silencing the warrior. "We have strayed from the original point. Why are you here?"

"Just like we said," Katara stated. "Toph is our friend, and she's very sick. Aang," she motioned to the Avatar, "had heard of your prowess in these matters, and we decided to seek your help. That's all."

For what seemed like the millionth time that day, silence ensued. Katara was anxious. What if they weren't accepted? What would happen to Toph then? She found herself thinking of the blind, brash earthbender. Had she been there, she would have wasted no time in finding some absurd way of breaking out of there. More and more, she was coming to miss Toph's headlong aggressiveness. She could only hope that the Shilians held the answer to their dilemma, but even then, she wasn't quite sure if she would live to find out. _Spirits…Mom…please help us through this…_

"Very well," Jun-Mei finally agreed. "I will trust you three. But be warned…one false step and you won't live to tell about it."

"Yes!" Katara exclaimed, jumping up impulsively. She wanted to hug Jun-Mei, but she realized that probably would have resulted in a swift and unceremonious death. Instead, she hugged Aang and her brother as they were approached by guards.

"You will be led to the room where your friend is resting," Jun-Mei stated. "There you will find all of your weapons and belongings. Get some rest; you are welcome here as long as you like. But do not make me regret it."

* * *

Zuko woke in a cold sweat. He felt extinguished, exhausted. What had his dream been about? There had been a man in black, holding a puppet by the strings and laughing maniacally. And then all had erupted in fire, fire more terrible than anything he could have imagined producing from his own two hands. But now the fire was gone, replaced by a coldness that pierced his heart.

And then, a scream. A terrible, bloodcurdling scream that echoed through the walls and into his consciousness, permeating his senses like venom through the bloodstream. And suddenly, he froze, as though Death itself were upon him.

"Mai?" he whispered. "_Mai?_"

She was gone. With energy he didn't know he had, Zuko tore out of his bed and burst out of the royal quarters into the dim corridor.

Another scream emanated through the palace, and Zuko dashed down the hallway toward the source of the sound. _I'm heading toward the Hall of Elders_, he thought with a chill. He remembered what Ying had told him earlier. _Oh no…_

Sure enough, he soon reached the entrance to the hall. The doors were hanging ominously open, and the two guards at the entrance had been violently dispatched. One had a bloody hole punched straight through his abdomen, and the other looked as though he had been brutally and messily decapitated. These sights didn't disturb Zuko as much as what he feared he would find inside. Ignoring his sense of trepidation, he ran inside.

Darkness enveloped him, save for the dimmed wall torches that were spread sparsely throughout the room. He looked around wildly for a moment, hands raised in a fighting position, ready to unleash the flames of his anger.

"I see you catch on fast."

Zuko's head snapped toward the direction of the sound. In the center of the room stood Ying, grasping a small red jewel in his hand. "You!" Zuko roared. "I should never have trusted you!"

"Just a small step in learning the costs of ruling…_Firelord._"

"Where is Mai?" Zuko spat through gritted teeth.

At this, Ying started to laugh. It was a horrible laugh, high-pitched and deranged. Zuko suddenly recognized it as the same laugh from his dream when Ying replied, "Oh, she's right here with me. And doesn't she look lively on this fine evening?" He gruesomely held up Mai's limp form in his left hand like some sort of grotesque trophy.

"You sick heathen…if you've hurt her…"

"Well, it's a little too late for that, isn't it?" Ying retorted sharply. "Now if you're quite finished, I'll leave you with your wilted flower and take my leave with the Zhuren." Without any further words, he unceremoniously tossed Mai on the ground at Zuko's feet and leapt out of a nearby window.

"Mai!" all concern for the Zhuren had faded. Kneeling down, he lifted his wife's head toward his face and spoke softly. "Are you okay?"

"Unnh…Zuko…" She was in bad shape. Her face was almost unrecognizable through all of the blood; her nose had been broken through some blunt impact. Her robes were bloodied as well; Zuko saw that she had been slashed viciously just above her left breast. "He took the…"

"I know," Zuko breathed softly.

"Sorry…my fault…"

"No," Zuko said firmly. "Don't you dare say that. I'm going to get you to the infirmary and everything's going to be fine. Don't think like that."

A faint smile came to her lips. "I'll be fine…with you…Zuko…" With that last breath, she faded out of consciousness.

Zuko shook uncontrollably, his fists clenched. _Ying…_ The fire inside of him had risen once again, stoked by the man who had stolen his family heirloom and attacked his queen. Indeed, the fire now burned uncontrollably, but no matter how hot it blazed, it couldn't match his tears.

* * *

"Toph!"

Sokka ran over to her side like a hungry platypus-bear chasing food. The guards had left them for the night, showing them to their room and returning to the queen's side. The room was accommodating, well lit and spaced enough to be comfortable. Beds were placed in each of the corners; Toph's was located in the back against the cliff wall that dwelling had been carved into. _That would have made her happy,_ Sokka thought with a lump in his throat.

"She looks like she's doing fine," Katara said simply. She yawned and stretched. "Maybe we should all get some sleep."

Aang seemed to agree, and the two set about preparing their beds. Sokka, however, lingered at Toph's side for a little longer. "Get well soon Toph," he said softly. "Don't even think about leaving me." He touched her arm and squeezed it gently.

His hands met something hard through the fabric of her tunic, which startled him for a second. He pulled back her sleeve to reveal the bracelet he had given her, which she was wearing as an armband, hidden under her shirt. It then occurred to him that all of this had started happening after he had given her that trinket, and wondered if maybe it had something to do with it. _Or maybe she's just sick, and you're an idiot._ He forced the thought from his mind.

He wasn't sure what made him do what he did next, but without a second thought, he bent down and placed a light kiss on the earthbender's forehead. "Good night, Toph."

Without bothering to change out of his clothes, he laid down in his bed. He was asleep by the time his head hit the pillow.

* * *

It was a good morning. Zuko could sense this as he stepped out beyond the palace walls and into the still-sleepy Fire Nation town that housed the royal compound. As he watched the sun's corona emerge over the distant horizon, the firelord felt emboldened, infused with a new energy and purpose. The beauty of the approaching day did nothing to quell the raging inferno inside of him; he was ready to face this new task laid before him.

_Ying…_he would need to be tracked down, along with the Zhuren. Now that he knew of its awful power, Zuko had no illusions about the jewel's fate. It must be destroyed, if tragedies like this were to be avoided in the future. On the trailing winds of this notion, he thought of Mai. She would be fine, the healers had said. They had assured Zuko countless times over of their experience in these matters, told him not to worry about a thing. In turn, he placed great trust in them, and could only hope for the best as he took his first steps into the sun's unequaled glory.

"Mark my words, Ying…you _will_ pay for this!"

* * *

Sokka yawned lightly as he awoke. A deep, dreamless sleep had done the warrior a world of good; he felt relaxed, refreshed, and ready to face the new day. Sunlight spilled in through the windows and doorway, enticing and encouraging him out of his bed and into what seemed like a rejuvenated world, full of possibilities, insights, and discoveries.

He quickly glanced over at his friends, who were still sleeping peacefully, he noticed with a smirk. _I finally beat them!_ "Sokka of the Water Tribe, rising with the sun," he mumbled jokingly.

In a flash, he remembered the fourth member of their group. _Toph!_ Perhaps she was feeling better by now? He allowed a glance over in the direction of her bed, wondering—hoping, almost—that she was possibly up for a conversation. A little sarcastic banter did a world of good.

But when his eyes fell upon the empty bed, its sheets displaced and unkempt, he started to worry. "Toph?" he said aloud, to no one in particular. "Toph!?" He repeated the name, this time a little louder.

"I trust you slept well?" Sokka turned quickly to see a guard approach from the sun-filled doorway. There was a different air now from last night, the warrior noticed. No longer was there a constant hostility present; the mood was more conversational, more nonchalant. He relaxed.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he assented. "I was…looking for my friend. The sick one? She's disappeared."

The guard nodded. "Ah, yes. The little blind girl. She gave us all a shock when she arose this morning. We never expected her to recover that fast. The truth is, we didn't even have the chance to administer any treatment. It's as if her body willed itself to get well again."

Sokka wasn't really sure what to make of this. _No treatment?_ While the prospect of not even needing to come here at all was a little disheartening, he couldn't help but feel relieved upon hearing the news. _She's fine…thank the spirits._ "Did she say where she was going?"

"She asked where she could find a place to earthbend. We told her that the old quarry at the east end of the canyon was ideal. If you're looking to find her, I'd start there."

Sokka felt even more elated to hear this. _Earthbending!?_ She must really be back to her old self. And in no time at all! It seemed almost too good to be true…Sokka didn't want to let his natural skepticism ruin the moment, but in the back of his mind, a little nagging voice told him that this wasn't over. _There's a catch…you'll see._ He couldn't bear to imagine it at a time like this, so he shut the thought away for now. He thanked the guard, and set to work collecting his things.

After he had strapped on his machete, boomerang, and the rest of his gear, he stepped forth into the warm summer morning. The sun was rising directly over one edge of the canyon, directing him exactly toward where he needed to go. _The east end…_ Without wasting any more time, he hurried along toward his destination.

Shili was constructed of three main sections: the canyon floor, and the two walls. The walls seemed to be mainly used for housing; structures of various shapes and sizes were carved directly into the rock face, much like the room that Sokka, Aang, and Katara had been afforded. Queen Jun-Mei's throne room and quarters were the most distinguishable, carved in the highest point in the center of the north wall. It was decorated by an elaborate gold semicircle representing the sun that sat atop its roof.

The canyon floor was used mainly for industrial and agricultural purposes. Sokka could see that there was a large space set up for a bazaar, along with many squares of land used for farming. He wondered if perhaps they had utilized earthbending to accomplish such a feat. _A self-sufficient community hidden inside a canyon…_ It was the perfect setting to remain peaceful, undisturbed, and hidden from prying eyes.

As he ran along a walkway carved into the wall, Sokka could see the quarry up ahead, not too far in the distance. The sun was rising higher still, providing him with a better view of the place. Dust clouds were rising from the pit at regular intervals, and he could make out the shapes of stones flying to and fro. _Yep…that's definitely Toph._ The realization sped his progress.

It wasn't long before he came to the end of the walkway, directly overlooking the quarry. A stone staircase was carved into the wall leading down to ground level; he hurried down, taking the steps two at a time, not noticing nor caring when he stumbled and skinned his elbows on the rough, hard surface. At last he reached the ground.

Toph apparently didn't notice when Sokka dropped nimbly into the quarry and approached her from behind. She deftly drew three large boulders out of the earth as though they were her puppets, servants to her call. With another deft motion, she made two of the boulders circle around the middle one in midair, finally ending the dance with a sharp downward jab as the three boulders collided and exploded in a shower of pebbles.

"What do you want, Snoozles?"

Apparently she had noticed. Sokka wasn't sure what to say for a moment, other than, "…You're okay?"

"I look pretty okay, don't I Sokka?"

The warrior was taken slightly aback at her use of his proper name, but decided to ignore it for the moment. "I was just wonder how you were. I mean, last night—"

"Don't worry about it, Ponytail. I feel great now, like a new person." She turned to face him with her cloudy eyes. "Everything's fine." Without another word, she continued her earthbending routine.

Sokka decided against his better judgment to press the matter. "Look, Toph," he began. "It's just that…when I found you that morning, you were really sick. I didn't know what to do. And now they said that you're better without any treatment at all. I just wanted you to know that for a while…I didn't know if you'd be all right. You really scared me, and I'm glad you're okay."

There was a loud _thud_ as the boulder Toph had been bending fell sharply into the ground, cracking down the middle. Sokka braced himself, ready for her rebuke. But none came. The little earthbender turned, and to the warrior's surprise, she wore a soft smile on her face. "Sokka…it makes me feel so much better to hear you say that. Thank you…for caring."

Sokka smiled, completely caught off-guard at her sincere response. "Anytime, Toph."

Toph looked him straight in the eyes—well, what she imagined must have been his eyes, anyway—and flashed a confident smile. "Great. Now that we've cleared that up, I've gotta get back to my training."

Sokka rolled his eyes at her persistence. The girl had such a one-track mind sometimes—

"Hey! I saw that!"

Time stood still. It was as if the entire world had frozen with this statement. No birds sang, the wind had died, and the grass had refrained from its cheery, rustling hymn. The world stared down at them, incredulous at this new, wondrous turn of events. And Sokka stared along with it, trying to comprehend what she had just said.

"Wh—what? Is that some sort of joke?"

Toph herself seemed frozen by this revelation. Slowly, dumbly, she waved a tiny hand in front of her eyes. Eyes that were now as clear as the sky above, eyes that shone along with the brilliant sun. Eyes colored a deep, emerald green to match her tunic. Eyes that completed her, made her whole, made her a beautiful, fragile, wonderful being. Eyes that now gazed straight into Sokka's, boring into his mind, his heart, his soul, as though looking for an answer to this absurd new riddle.

"I…I can see you," she whispered loudly enough for Sokka to hear. Tears came to her eyes, tears that at long last were real, tangible. "I can see you!" She said it louder.

"You…you can see me!?" Sokka cried, his heart soaring higher with each word.

"I can see you! Oh Spirits, Sokka, I can see you!"

* * *

**A/N:** ...Not much to say here. :P So here's your vocabulary check for this chapter:

Shili – insight/knowledge


	5. As the Sky Burned Bright

I don't claim to own any aspect of _Avatar: The Last Airbender._ This work has been written without permission and isn't intended for any profit.

I know; this probably isn't what you all were (perhaps) holding your breath for. But I really felt that I dropped the ball on some parts of this chapter, and so I have gone back and tried my best to clean up the parts that bothered me. Namely, I edited the ending conversation between Toph and Sokka a bit, seeing as that scene was probably my biggest peeve from the beginning, including the final exchange between them after the original ending, which to me makes the whole thing just feel a bit more natural and in-character. I also cleared up a few random odds and ends here and there. But anyway, enough of my self-gratifying rambling.

So here it is: the new and hopefully improved chapter 5. The next should be up fairly soon.

-_ss_

* * *

Chapter 5: _As the Sky Burned Bright_

The morning was just like any other it seemed, and Aang found a blissful sense of amnesia along with the gentle caress from the soft rays of the sun as he rose slowly from a sweet, easy slumber. The previous night's events seemed so surreal, so distant that in his awakening they felt like nothing more than bad memories. As he set his feet down on the cold floor and gazed around, however, the reality of his situation came flooding in like one of Master Pakku's demonstrations, and he sighed as he remembered just why he and his friends were here in the first place.

With that on his mind, he took the opportunity to steal a glance at Katara, who still happened to be sleeping. He smiled softly at her angelic state as he felt himself filled by a warmth the sun could never hope to provide. It was one that had comforted him in troubled times, one that had helped him brave even the most frigid winds of the North and South Poles. How ironic that Katara the Waterbender could manipulate such a flame in a way no Firebender could ever imagine.

Shifting his gaze, he turned toward Sokka's bed and gave a start. "Sokka?" he wondered aloud. The warrior was gone. Turning again, he glanced over toward the corner where Toph had been placed the night before. When he saw that she too was missing, his mind started racing. _Is this some sort of trap? What if we can't trust these people after all?_

"Aang?" The Airbender turned guiltily toward the sleepy Waterbender, realizing his moment of panic must have awakened her.

"I'm sorry Katara," he said sheepishly. "I didn't mean to—"

"It's all right," she cut in amiably. "Where are Sokka and Toph?"

Aang was taken aback for a second by how quickly she noticed their absence. "Umm…I'm not entirely sure, to tell you the truth."

The Waterbender, to his surprise, didn't appear too worried. "Toph's probably being treated right now. And you know Sokka, those two are inseparable." She paused for a moment, letting the thought sink in. "In any case, I'm finding a bath chamber. There's gotta be one _somewhere _around here." Without another word, she promptly crossed the room and exited via the doorway. Aang could hear her footsteps against the outer wall of the room as she ascended a nearby ladder.

Now all alone, the young monk found he had nothing to do but wait until someone or something turned up. Katara was busy, so waterbending was out, and Toph probably wasn't up for anything at all.

"Man," he mused, "either I'm getting constantly hunted or attacked, or something unexpected has to fall in my lap."

It was that precise moment that Sokka chose to burst in through the doorway.

* * *

_Earlier…_

"You can see me!?" Sokka echoed the phrase as though it were a prayer. The weight of the words could not be quantified or described through any means. But there they hung regardless, suspended in the air, a powerful, omnipotent yet beautiful specter.

For what seemed like a long time, Toph did not reply. She stood alone in the center of the quarry, her right hand raised in front of her face. Her left hung loosely down at her side like a leaden pendulum.

A slight breeze crept through. She did not stir.

And without warning, in a sight that to Sokka seemed almost slow and graceful as cascading autumn leaves, she fell to the ground and stared, straight up into the heavens. They stared straight back down at her. They weren't going anywhere.

Sokka did not feel his legs move, only faintly realized that he was dashing toward his friend with a speed that was foreign to him. He was on his knees beside her before he even caught on that he had been running. "Toph! Are you all right?"

Again, no response. For one wild moment Sokka thought Toph may have lost her hearing in exchange for this new miracle. But one moment's eternity later, her petite voice reached his ears. "I'm fine Sokka." She turned her deep, emerald eyes toward the warrior. "Better than I've been in a long, long time."

He laughed with a softness that matched her timbre. "You…can see me?" Again he repeated that sacred phrase.

"You're beautiful," was her affirmation. And at first, Sokka didn't know exactly what to make of the comment.

"Umm…"

"That rock is beautiful," she continued, pointing off into the distance behind her. Sokka didn't bother to check and see if a rock was actually there. "The world is beautiful!" she went on, her voice becoming higher. "The ground, that tree, the sky…the entire world is beautiful!"

And she started to laugh. She laughed and laughed, becoming louder and more joyous with each passing second until her laughter was a melody, rising and falling with a wild grace, happiness, and raw beauty. And as she continued to stare into the heavens the world laughed along with her, rejoicing in its symphony of birds and wind and grass and everything in the universe that was right and good. And Sokka couldn't help but harmonize as the music reached a crescendo, climaxed, and faded, the final note reverberating through their makeshift concert hall. The spirits gave a standing ovation. The players took a bow, graciously accepting this gift bestowed upon them.

Sokka stood up. "This is wonderful Toph," he said softly. "I…I don't know what to do—"

"Oh shove it," she cut in sharply. "I can actually _see_ your goofy face now. So don't get all wishy-washy on me."

The warrior stared. And then, with a smile, he relaxed. _That's the Toph I know._ "All right then."

Toph's smile never left her now-brilliant face. "Come on Snoozles. Race you back?"

Sokka smirked. Two could play this game. "Okay…but on one condition."

"What's that?" Toph demanded, hands on her hips.

The warrior boldly walked up to the petite Earthbender and placed his hand on her head. "You're it!" And with a wild yell, he dashed off toward the edge of the quarry.

Sokka didn't look back to see if she pursued him. But it became evident soon enough. In a shower of raining earth, Toph sped by the warrior, slowing down just long enough to shove a tiny palm into his midsection. "You're it!"

The two whooped and yelled, laughing all the way up the stone staircase as they tagged and chased each other in a wild dance of mirth and joy. The canyon walls seemed to echo their sentiments as the sounds of their play bounded along after the two, as though they wished to join the game themselves.

Sokka was near the end. The doorway was in sight; he sped ever closer…

"You're it!" Toph tagged him none too lightly and sped past, pulling away at the last second.

"Oh no you don't…" Sokka grunted in exertion as he left his feet, sailing straight toward the little Earthbender.

There was a _crash!_ and an _oof!_ as Sokka collided with Toph, wrapping her in his arms and pulling her down with him. And for the longest time they laid that way, on their sides, in each other's arms. The sky was their only witness. And they were content.

Overcome by something—Sokka hadn't quite figured out what it was—the warrior jumped up, Toph still in his arms, and spun around repeatedly, laughing hysterically. "I win! Haha!"

Toph laughed with him, the wind from his action blowing the bangs out from in front of her small face. "Sure Snoozles. Whatever makes you feel better."

Sokka eventually stopped his antics and set the Earthbender down. He was grinning from ear to ear. "Wait here," he said. "I'll get the others."

He turned and dashed inside.

* * *

"Sokka!" Aang hadn't exactly been expecting such an abrupt return this early in the morning, especially from the warrior. The timing itself seemed almost absurd; Katara had walked out only moments before. "Where have you been?"

Aang's inquiry more or less flew right over Sokka's head like a misguided boomerang. "Aang! You've got to see something," he said breathlessly. He let the irony of the statement sink in for a second.

"Like what?" Aang replied monotonously. "Honestly Sokka, it's a bit early for—"

The Airbender may as well have been talking to Momo. Completely oblivious to his reply, Sokka ran back over to the doorway and poked his head out, apparently addressing someone. "Hey Toph! Come in here!"

"All right Snoozles, you don't have to shout. I can still hear, you know."

_This_ was a bit odd. Aang hadn't expected Toph to be up and about so quickly. Maybe these Shilians really knew what they were doing, he supposed. Though he was really, _really_ interested to find out what Sokka was so worked up about.

As the warrior stepped back into the room with Toph at his side, Aang had to wonder what was going on. "Seriously Sokka, are you on cactus juice again?"

"Twinkletoes! Is that you? You've…got an arrow on your head!"

Aang stared. "You didn't slip me any of that juice by chance, did you?"

"His arrow looks like the sky! Umm…what do you call that?"

"Blue," Sokka acquiesced.

"I'm dreaming," Aang figured to no one in particular. "Zuko's about to walk through the door juggling cabbages, right?" He sat back down on his bed in a daze.

Toph ran up to the monk. "This isn't a dream, Twinkletoes!" she shouted, half indignantly and half joyously. "Look!" She gestured emphatically toward her eyes, which were bored straight into his own. "I can see now! Your clothes! They look like the sun!"

Aang's mouth was agape. "How…how did this happen?"

There was a long silence. Sokka looked at Toph and she in turn looked back at him, almost as if they were trying to come up with a reasonable story. The warrior took a deep breath. "I don't know."

Aang nodded slowly. "Understandable…"

Toph continued. "I just woke up this morning and felt _great._ So then I went down to the quarry to practice Earthbending when Sokka joined me. And then I saw him. I don't really know how it happened."

"How what happened?" The three turned toward the doorway to see Katara enter, her hair done up in its customary Water Tribe fashion.

"Katara's blue too!" Toph exclaimed. "Like Twinkletoes' arrow."

Katara stared. "What's going on here?"

Aang sighed, not wishing to sit through the story again. "Toph can see now. No one really knows how or why though. She just _can_."

If happiness or wonder was what Aang had been expecting from Katara, then he was sorely mistaken. Instead, her face remained expressionless. When she spoke, her tone was one to match.

"That's odd."

"Odd!? It's amazing!"

"I'm sure it is. But the only thing that could have done this is something very powerful. And that something may or may not be friendly."

"Honestly Sweetness, do you have to ruin _everyone's_ day? Is this what it's like, never being happy?"

"Besides, I'm sure it's friendly enough. It healed Toph, remember?"

Katara sat down across from Aang. "Well, that's true enough. You're right, I'm being silly. It's wonderful Toph; I'm so happy for you." She smiled her motherly smile, beaming with the hope of all the good spirits in the world.

And Toph, for the first time in her life, could smile back. "So that's what a smile looks like…" She looked around, as though something had suddenly come over her. "There are so many things I have to see!" she exclaimed. She grabbed her tunic. "What's this?"

"Green," Sokka laughed. "It's called color. There are lots of different colors in the world."

"Really? How many?"

"More than any person could ever hope to count."

"Well I want to see them all."

Sokka smiled thoughtfully at this statement. "I don't know about all of them…but this evening I bet I can show you quite a few of them."

Toph smiled, and to Sokka it seemed like the sun positively beamed from her eyes as she did. "Really?"

* * *

The Chun-Jing River certainly lived up to its name. The waters were crystal clear, giving an unimpeded view of the bottom, and the suns rays seemed to catch it at just the right angle, illuminating the shimmering surface with an indescribable sheen. Its waters were cool and soothing, running gently along its smooth bottom. If ever there were perfection to be found in nature, one would not have to look much further.

Ying, however, was not in pursuit of such luxuries. His prey was something much darker, something much more sinister. So much so that the contrast between him and his surroundings were stark and bordered upon shockingly absurd. He glanced hatefully at the running water, remembering his fateful encounter with it so long ago. Things would be different this time…

"I'm stronger now," he told himself. "More powerful. Nothing can stop me this time."

As the sun sank lower and dusk approached, he sat down alongside the riverbed, his mind racing. Slowly, almost absentmindedly, he produced the Zhuren and gazed hypnotically at it, craving the moment of his revenge.

The Kongzhi was so close now. He could feel it. It called to him, begging to be united with its partner. "It won't be long now," he said, speaking to the crimson jewel in his palm.

The time was nearly upon them.

* * *

"So what color is that?" Toph inquired, pointing toward the rock walls of the canyon.

Sokka laughed. It was certainly not the first time that day he'd heard the question, and he figured it wouldn't be the last. "That's brown. Brown is like dirt and rocks and basically the earth that you bend."

"Hmm…I kind of like brown."

"I figured you would."

Toph thought for a moment, trying to remember everything she'd been told so far. "So let me get this straight… Your tunic is blue, like Aang's arrow and the sky on a clear day. On a rainy day, the sky is gray, like Aang's eyes. My tunic is green, like leaves on trees during the summer. Aang's tunic is orange, like leaves in the fall. But it's also yellow, like the sun. The clouds are white, like Appa and Momo. And now you're saying rocks and dirt and earth are brown."

Sokka merely nodded. It was a lot to absorb, especially considering earlier that morning she didn't even know what color _was._

"That's a lot to remember," Toph commented. "How come everything seems to have more than one color?"

Sokka thought about this before answering. "The world changes," he finally said slowly. "As time goes by, things change. Leaves change colors, the sky changes, even people change, although that can be harder to see than simple colors. Really, the changing of colors just reflects the change that takes place in the world everyday. You and I change too; we just might not think much of it."

Toph considered this. "So the change is just a part of life?"

"It seems that way."

"We can't do anything to avoid it?"

"No, I suppose not. Why do you ask?"

Toph stared up at the warrior. "Well, I don't want to change. I like who I am, and how others see me. If I became someone different…I don't know what I'd do."

Sokka smiled. "I don't know what I'd do either. But I'll tell you what. If you promise to never change, then I won't change either. Deal?"

"Well…all right, sounds good." Toph smiled back at the warrior. "But why do you care so much?"

Sokka thought for a moment. "Well, maybe I like who you are right now too."

Toph blushed and stared determinedly straight into the ground. "Fine then. It's a deal. Now where are we going? I thought you said I was going to see more colors."

"You are."

"But it's getting dark out."

"That's the idea. See, we've left out one of the most important colors out there."

"And what's that?"

"It's called red. And you're about to see a whole lot of it."

The two continued their trek along the side of the canyon. Sokka only hoped he wasn't too late, otherwise the trip would have been for naught. He could see that they were nearing the end of their walk; there was a staircase nearby that led up and out onto the top of the canyon wall. And beyond that, he knew there was a sight Toph would not forget.

"Close your eyes," he said softly. "You have to promise me you won't look until I tell you."

Toph stared. "This isn't some sort of trick, is it?"

"I promise you it isn't. Now, do you trust me?"

Toph nodded slowly. "Well…I guess so, Snoozles."

"Then close your eyes," Sokka said again, this time with a big smile. "And no peeking!"

"All right, all right."

He led her slowly up the stone staircase to avoid any accidents, and all of a sudden they were _there_. They had reached the summit of the cliff face—and just in time, too. Sokka could see that the spectacle in all its glory was thankfully still there.

"Toph," he said softly. "You can look now."

The girl opened her eyes and looked out into the horizon. And for the longest time, she said nothing. She didn't even move. She stood, rooted to that one spot, gazing unflinchingly out into the glory of the evening sunset. It seemed to last for an eternity.

And then she fell to her knees. "It's…it's…"

"Toph?" Sokka said, concerned.

"It's…amazing," she breathed. She sniffled, and Sokka could see that tears were running down her little face.

He knelt beside her. Instinctively, his right arm found its way around her shoulders. Before he could even consider whether or not that had been a good move, Toph's arms were wrapped tightly around his stomach, her head buried in his side.

"It's so beautiful Sokka…that's what red is?"

Sokka almost laughed at the statement, though he caught himself. "Part of it is red," he consented. "But it's so much more than that. There are so many colors there…it's just indescribable. There are pinks and oranges and purples and so many different colors. You couldn't color it if you tried. I don't think anyone can color the sunset. Not even the spirits." He hugged her a little closer.

"I feel so warm and safe," she said simply. "Like everything in the world is just right."

"I feel the same way sometimes," Sokka agreed. "It does that for you. It's my favorite time of day. And it's the one thing in this world that never changes."

"Thank you so much for showing me…for _everything_." Her tears were beginning to soak through his tunic. But he didn't care. He would have wiped away all of the tears she'd ever shed if he could have at that moment.

The sky's fire was everlasting. It burned with an intensity that no Firebender could match, not even the Avatar. The horizon was set ablaze with breathtaking patterns of orange and gold and blood red, all interweaved in a pristine arrangement that was violent, yet soothing and serene. The hues wove, danced, and crashed together in a fiery, beautiful battle for dominance. And the warrior and the Earthbender sat there, alone, yet warm and safe, watching as the sky burned bright.

"…Sokka, if you ever tell anyone you saw me cry, you're dead meat."

"I can live with that."


	6. The Approaching Storm

I don't claim to own any aspect of _Avatar: The Last Airbender._ This work has been written without permission and isn't intended for any profit.

Yeah, I know, it certainly took long enough. I guess only time will tell if the wait was worth it. I just hope I haven't lost whatever momentum I had in the previous parts.

I also noted that this chapter is a little on the short side, but it served its purpose. The story is wrapping up, and I have a clear idea of where I'm going with it. There will most likely be three chapters after this one, so stick around!

As always, enjoy!

-_ss_

* * *

Chapter 6: _The Approaching Storm_

The dust started to settle, and Sokka had to shield his eyes as the particles were sent flying skyward once more as yet another boulder slammed into the side of the quarry, causing the earth to shake and groan in protest. Had the circumstances been any different, he might have found the situation almost alarming. He supposed he must have gotten used to the nuances that accompanied earthbending somewhere along the way.

"I've been thinking," the warrior shouted through the open space in between the intermittent seismic blasts.

"Well, that's never good," Toph interjected quickly before sending another boulder flying towards its destination in the far rock wall. "You should probably try to avoid that."

Sokka ignored the remark and continued his previous train of thought. "We've been here for almost a week. Now that Toph's well again, shouldn't we be thinking about getting out of here sometime soon?"

"Sokka, you know that we should at least wait until the Shilians make sure she's okay to go," Katara reminded him from atop the quarry wall. She and Aang seemed to be busy with some sort of waterbending exercise, idly playing "catch"—if it could even be called that—with a small marble-sized orb of water.

Toph paused for a moment and spat to the side, hands on her hips. "You know, for once I agree with Meathead over here," she said colloquially. "I'm tired of this place. These people—these _Shilians_, or whatever—all they do all day is work, study, or sit in their houses. And when I say houses, I mean 'holes in the cliff'."

Aang shrugged, though at his heightened elevation on the other two, the action was lost. "So they have a different way of living than we're used to. And Katara's right; we don't really know if you're well enough to leave yet."

"It's just _weird_," Toph went on. "I never hear anyone talking. And I never see the queen, either. It just makes me uneasy. And besides…" she stopped and flipped her dark bangs out of her eyes, "…I can see now. I'm _better off than before_. These guys had to have done something right."

It was now Sokka's turn to shrug. "Well, maybe they're just as uneasy as you are."

"Yeah, but about _what?_ If an entire race of enlightened people is suddenly scared of something, then it must be pretty serious." As if to punctuate her statement, Toph let another boulder fly toward the quarry wall.

The usual groaning of the earth at the rock's impact was amplified slightly this time, and Sokka wondered for a second what the source of the variance could have been. As he pondered the question, he looked down and saw that Toph was frowning. And just as this sight met his own eyes, another low rumbling emanated through the afternoon air, and a cold wind's dagger ran him straight through. There was a storm coming.

Toph, still frowning, drew another boulder out of the earth between her and Sokka. With an exertive grunt, she flung the stone again toward the edge of the quarry, straight at the first boulder that still sat there, entombed in the rock wall.

As the second boulder met the quarry's edge, a concussive blast filled Sokka's consciousness, pounding his eardrums into submission and threatening to drown out all of his other barely-protesting senses. The peal of thunder died away as soon as it had come, however, and Sokka soon felt his sensory inputs returning to equilibrium. The clap had been so loud that even Aang and Katara looked up from their game in question, Aang losing his concentration and spilling the water down the front of his Airbenders' robes. The dark spot on his clothing did not stay conspicuous for long, however, as new dark specks soon blossomed seemingly out of thin air to join the old one. The rain had come.

Sokka, snapped out of his daze by the water, motioned to Toph. "Come on Toph, we should probably get inside, out of this rain."

The girl was taciturn, however. She made no indication of even hearing the warrior's statement, remaining rooted to the spot, cold as the stone that she had moved. Sokka was about to put a hand on her shoulder when she spoke.

"How…?" Her voice came out thin and cold, like an icy winter mist.

Sokka wasn't sure what to make of this. "How? How what?"

Again, if she had heard Sokka speak, Toph certainly didn't show it. "How could I…miss?"

In an instant, Sokka knew what Toph was talking about, and in another instant, his head was turned toward the rock wall of the quarry where the second boulder had embedded itself…directly to the left of the first.

While this was, admittedly, surprising, Sokka couldn't help but feel that Toph was overreacting. After all, she was supposed to be sick. Then again, as he thought back a little ways, he couldn't really remember any time that Toph had claimed to have "missed" before.

"Come on Toph," was his eventual reply. "I'm sure you're just a little tired." He reached out and put his hand around her arm. "Let's get inside."

Toph didn't say anything as she allowed herself to be led away by the warrior, back toward their sanctuary in the cliff face. The thunder, it seemed, did most of her talking for her, rumbling ominously overhead as the four of them made their way back up to the safety of their dwelling.

Sokka only turned once on their trek up the cliff. And when he did, he saw Toph following him, her stare still rooted toward the edge of the quarry, now obscured in the darkness of the gathering clouds.

* * *

Zuko cursed silently to himself as the first raindrops stained his cloak. Ying was moving at a fast enough pace as it was. Knowing that the assailant had had a full night's head start, Zuko wasn't entirely sure how easy it was going to be to track the man. As it turned out, not only did Ying travel fast, but he was apparently very good at covering his tracks. This storm was only going to make things more difficult.

By now the wind had picked up as well, and the young firelord found himself hunched over as he trekked on into the wind, pelted by the ever-persistent rain. He would have to stop soon, he realized. He could only hope Ying was faced with the same predicament.

He looked around, sizing up his surroundings. He had been crossing the hilly grasslands surrounding the Fire Nation capital for about a full day now, and from his current vantage point, they seemed to stretch on behind him for miles. He noted with some dismay that there didn't seem to be much present in the way of shelter.

On the trailing winds of this thought, Zuko reached the summit of the hill he hadn't even realized he'd been climbing. As he gazed over the top for the first time, he could almost feel his fortunes changing right then and there. A dirt road led all the way down the hill…and straight into a town.

The place was tiny; so small it could hardly be called a town. From Zuko's view, it looked as though there were only a few houses and a handful of shops and other buildings. It didn't matter though. The sky may as well have cleared right then and there. Not wasting any time, Zuko hurried down the hill.

As he took his first steps through the gates, the first thought that crossed the young firelord's mind was something along the lines of _Wow, it's quiet_. He shook his head at the absurdity of it; after all, he was standing at the threshold of some tiny remote town in the middle of a torrential downpour. He supposed it wasn't exactly going to be bustling.

His hood pulled over his head, Zuko made his way slowly into the tiny outpost, hoping maybe for a shop canopy to take refuge under for a little while. He wasn't having much luck though, for the few shops present seemed to have nothing of the sort. He was just about to consider resorting to knocking on someone's door when he heard a voice directly to his right.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing, out there in the rain?"

Zuko turned to see a man's head poking out through one of the circular windows of the house directly to his side. He appeared to be middle aged, his hair still retaining its natural dark hue, though a few gray strands were starting to show.

"I was just looking for some shelter," Zuko replied shortly. "Just until this storm blows over."

The man smiled strangely, and for a moment or two it seemed to Zuko as though he were caught between laughter and sympathy. _An odd combination. _"Sonny, this here storm isn't going to blow over any time soon. You'd best get inside with me an' my family and wait it out."

Zuko balked a little at being addressed as "Sonny", but realized that the man probably didn't recognize him because of his hood. "Did a man pass through here earlier?" he inquired, a little reluctant to stop for what looked to be a considerable amount of time.

The man in the window shrugged. "Men pass through here all the time, Sonny."

Zuko could feel his eye twitching. This wasn't getting him anywhere. Trying to keep himself as composed and dignified as he could seem while standing in a downpour, he said, "He was a tall man, dressed in a dark cloak. You probably couldn't have seen his face. Calls himself Ying. Sound familiar?"

The man cracked a toothy smile. "Well now, I do remember somebody like that. Came through and kept moving, without saying a word to anyone. If'n you're following him, I'd say he's about a full day ahead of you by now."

_A full day!?_ Zuko cursed the spirits for his bad luck. He wasn't exactly sure what he'd wanted to hear, but it certainly wasn't that he had lost ground on his prey. Stopping now was out of the question, but as he gazed off into the murky horizon, he realized that the rainfall was going to make things difficult…and potentially deadly.

Then, in a flash, he remembered words that Iroh had said to him seemingly an eternity ago. _ "Remember your Breath of Fire…it could save your life out there!"_ Zuko had been a different man back then, and the words now seemed to have an altogether different meaning. Feeling renewed, Zuko exhaled sharply into his cupped hands, letting the flame from his mouth warm them. As he did so, he could almost feel his spirit rise somewhat, as though he was breathing a new energy and life into himself.

"I have to be moving on," he said, barely above a whisper.

"Hey, but—" The man started to protest, seeing that the mysterious traveler was fully intent on running off into a storm.

But it was too late. Zuko had taken off already, traveling at a steady jog with his hands over his mouth.

The man sighed as he leaned back inside his dwelling, pulling the shutters closed behind him. "Who does that guy think he is?" he said, to no one in particular. "The firelord, or something?"

* * *

If awkward silence were tangible, then Sokka was almost sure he'd have drowned in it by now. Now that he thought about it, as he lay on his bed, staring up at the stone ceiling, he wasn't exactly sure what it was that made it so awkward. But for some reason, everyone, including himself, seemed uncomfortable.

Maybe it was just the weather. Maybe it was the guard standing right outside their door. Or maybe, Sokka noted with some puzzlement, it was the fact that Toph's gaze was still locked on the door, where it hadn't left since they'd entered the room. That was probably what bothered the warrior most of all, and against his better judgment (a scenario which seemed to be arising more and more commonly as of late), he decided to speak up.

"Toph, are you okay? You've been staring out that door ever since we got back. I mean, I bet the guard outside is really uncomfortable right now." His attempt at a joke seemingly fell on deaf ears.

The girl shook her head slowly, her eyes still locked on that one spot. "I don't know what's happening anymore."

Katara sat up on her bed, a look of concern etched across her features. "What do you mean, Toph?"

"I mean, things have been happening lately. Strange things," the Earthbender said slowly. "Sometimes I hear voices."

Aang and Katara exchanged a quick look. "Excuse me?" the Avatar said incredulously.

"Yeah, really," Sokka chimed in. "The last time I heard strange voices was when I drank that cactus juice. Tell me you haven't gotten into that stuff."

Toph showed no indication of having heard either of them as she continued, "Sometimes these voices…talk to me. They tell me to do things. Things that I would never do. And sometimes I have visions too."

Sokka stared. "…And you're _sure_ you haven't been drinking cactus juice?"

"Sokka, this is not the time!" Katara scolded. "This sounds very serious Toph. Why didn't you tell us before?"

Toph, for the first time, looked up at the three. "Because it just started happening today. Right now."

"Wait a second," Aang interjected. "You have visions? Visions of what? Maybe if we knew, we could find out what's behind all of this."

Katara frowned and crossed her arms. "I still say she's sick."

"That's what you always—"

"My visions?" Toph repeated, cutting Sokka off mid-retort. "Well, I always see…a city. Except it's made out of crystal…or ice, or something like that. And it's nighttime out. And then, I'm surrounded by water."

"You're underwater?" Aang reiterated.

"Yeah, but I'm not drowning. I just feel cold, freezing cold. And then…"

There was an unbearable pause. Finally, Sokka broke the silence. "And then?"

"_How could I miss!?"_ Toph shrieked, slamming her palms against her forehead and collapsing backwards onto her bed. The entire room started to shake, and the guard who had been stationed outside came running in.

"What's going on in here?"

His entrance went unnoticed. Aang got up and took a couple steps toward the Earthbender. "Toph, just calm down. It's probably because of your eyesight. You aren't used to actually using your eyes, so maybe—"

"_Shut up!_" Toph screamed, sitting up again. This time though, her eyes glowed a bright, luminescent green as she stared at the four of them.

Sokka thought he may have heard the guard gasp something that sounded a bit like "Kongzhi…", but in that instant, the room exploded in green light, and the warrior was thrown backward against the wall in the opposite corner of the room.

"Toph!" he cried as the light cleared. But she was nowhere to be seen.

"Ugh…Katara? Sokka?" Aang groaned as he pulled himself out from under his bed. Whether he'd been blown there or had just hidden was unclear.

"Where's the guard?" Katara inquired from the other corner of the room. We need to tell someone about this. We need—" She stopped in midsentence and shrieked.

Sokka looked over to the entrance of the room to see the guard—or what was left of him, anyway—crushed against the wall next to the doorway by Toph's stone bed. His limbs stuck out at odd angles, and a trail of blood ran from the bottom of the bed into the center of the room.

Feeling sickened, the warrior turned away toward where the girl's bed used to be—only to see a tunnel leading down into the floor.

* * *

Outside, the rain continued to fall mercilessly, pounding the landscape and anyone daring to venture outside in its thunderous roar. Atop the cliff, across the canyon, stood a figure cloaked in black. And though his face was not visible, one might even say that he was smiling.

* * *

Well, I'm fairly sure I dropped some pretty obvious hints in this chapter…but in case you haven't figured it all out by now, then I'll see you in chapter seven!

By the way, I'd just like to thank everyone for their patience. If you waited it out and are still with me, then I sincerely thank you for sticking around. Until next time!


	7. Beneath the Surface

I do not, in any way, shape, or form, own _Avatar: The Last Airbender._ I do, however, own this story.

This took me _way_ longer than I expected. It was originally about half as long as it is now, totaling about six pages or so, but I wasn't really happy with how it turned out. It seemed too jarring, too abrupt, so I just kept adding more and more to it until it reached its current state, around twelve pages and much more satisfying, in my opinion. I honestly don't think the rest of the story should take as long, but I'm not making any promises. Sorry!

* * *

Chapter 7: _Beneath the Surface_

"The tunnel must go down into the cliff," the warrior was saying. He paced back and forth uneasily, stopping every now and then to stare up at the stone ceiling, hand on his chin in a thoughtful manner, as though the bare surface would somehow provide him with an answer to this question. Finally, he came to a halt and met and Aang and Katara's eyes in turn.

"Well, there's only one thing to do," he said with an air of finality.

The other two made no indication of hearing anything that Sokka had just uttered. It seemed that a particularly unrelenting stupor had befallen the two, who stood rooted, lost in thought since the trio had recovered from Toph's outburst and sudden exit and Aang had mercifully buried the remains of the Shilian guard in the cliff side with a quick, deft spurt of earthbending. Sokka could feel himself becoming frustrated; this wasn't helping at all. His friend was down there somewhere, possessed by Spirits-knew-what, and Aang and Katara were acting as though they'd just seen Pakku handing out seal jerky. He supposed it was only natural to be a bit shocked by what had transpired, but his warrior's instincts were practically screaming at him, berating him for wasting whatever short amount of time they had.

"Come on guys," he tried again. "I'm not getting any feedback here."

Finally, Katara broke the silence, though most likely not in the manner Sokka had been hoping for. "Wait…you can't possibly be considering jumping down there after her, can you?"

The warrior bristled. "Well, my plan did involve something to that extent." He couldn't believe what he was hearing. What did his sister want him to do, wait up here and hope for the best? _That's not gonna happen._

Aang stared, sensing the tension grow in between the two siblings. He had had plenty of experience with the two and their disagreements prior, and he knew full well that he shouldn't be getting involved, mostly out of fear for his own well-being. He was particularly troubled, though, because he could see both sides of the issue. Sokka, the brash, ever-ready warrior, would jump at a moment's notice to protect his friend, even if it meant leaping into the great unknown to potentially do battle on unfamiliar ground. Katara, on the other hand, was much more level-headed, and preferred to plan and think her way through things. The Avatar wanted to help Toph, but he didn't want to do anything rash. To that end, a compromise would have to be reached. The best solution, he figured, was to keep silent. Maybe the two would work it out on their own?

_Then again,_ he thought, _this is Sokka and Katara we're talking about here._

"Oh really, Sokka? And what does your plan involve after that? Wandering through some dark cavern, just waiting to be attacked?"

"I don't know! I'll work it out as I go!"

"That's what you always say!"

Aang sighed. _Perhaps not._ "Look, you guys…"

"WHAT?" the two siblings exclaimed in unison, the force of their simultaneous rebuttals literally pushing the Avatar back a few steps.

Aang took a couple of seconds to regain his composure before continuing. "We can't be fighting right now. We have no idea what's happening to Toph, so we need to decide on something and _do it._" He pounded a fist into his hand to emphasize his statement.

Sokka nodded. "Exactly what I was thinking, Aang."

Aang brightened considerably, glad to hear that he was at least getting through to _someone_. "Really?" Maybe working this out wouldn't be so hard after all.

The warrior casually set a hand on his machete, which at some point had appeared at his side. Aang then noticed with a tinge of unease that Sokka had been discreetly gathering and strapping on his gear the entire time they had been arguing, complete with what looked to be a small pack of supplies secured around his back. The Avatar was about to inquire about this when Sokka continued.

"Toph needs our help. And I'm going to do something about it!" With a great Water Tribe war cry, the warrior took three steps backward and leapt down into the abyss.

"Sokka!" Aang ran over to the edge of the hole and looked down, almost expecting for one wild moment to find Sokka hanging on the ledge, grinning cheekily at him. However, the tunnel was impossibly dark, and the warrior was already long out of sight. The young Airbender could not even hear his echoing cries bouncing off the sides of the passage. Sokka was, for all intents and purposes, gone.

"What is he _thinking?_" Katara exclaimed from across the room. "He always does this! He never thinks things through!" She buried her face in her hands out of sheer frustration. "Aang, what are we going to do now?"

Aang noted with a hint of irony that his opinions were being asked for now, of all times. To be completely honest, there were too many things he wasn't sure about. They could get help, get Jun-Mei and the rest of the Shilians…but Sokka could be dead by then. They could follow Sokka…and all end up dead. Either way, the outlook didn't seem to be all too favorable. So, being the Avatar and a natural decision-maker, he came to the only logical conclusion.

"Split up," he said with some resolve. "I'll follow Sokka. You find Jun-Mei and get her to help us. It shouldn't be hard; I'm sure she's sent someone after all the commotion we've caused."

Katara nodded, though Aang could see in her eyes that there was still some reserve present. She clearly didn't want anyone else jumping down into that pit, but the Avatar was certain that whatever happened to be at the bottom, Sokka was going to need some backup. He could only hope that it wasn't too late, though he knew the warrior was resourceful. Sokka had pulled through a great many tough situations over the course of the war relying almost solely on quick thinking and wit, and Aang could only hope that it would serve him again here.

Aang pulled the Waterbender into a quick embrace. "Don't worry. I'll be fine. Now go." He pulled away and smiled confidently.

Katara smiled in return as she turned and ran out the door. "Good luck," she said softly.

Aang turned and faced the tunnel entrance. Making a mental note to have a nice, long conversation with Roku about the value of foresight the next time they met, he took a deep breath and plunged down into the hole.

* * *

The tunnel had leveled out somewhat, and Sokka now found himself sliding along a gentler yet still considerably steep incline. There was no light to speak of, so the warrior could not see or even fathom a guess as to whether or not he was nearing the bottom. That left only the sound of his racing heartbeat and an occasional yelp as he passed over a bump. But for the most part, he noticed, the rock was quite smooth. Feeling curious, he extended an arm upward until he felt his hand meet rock and start to burn from the friction. The tunnel couldn't be more than a few feet wide, he noted a little uneasily.

He suddenly felt a cool, soothing sensation in his trousers, and realized that the walls of the passage had become quite damp, in addition a slight drop in temperature. _I must be under the Chun-Jing River!_ he realized. Sokka was almost starting to enjoy the ride when his stomach lurched as the tunnel took a sudden drop. The warrior was practically free-falling now as the passage became nearly vertical once more. There was a sudden decrease in slope, and then an equally sudden upturn as the ride came to an abrupt end. Sokka ended up flailing head-over-heels momentarily in the dark as he came rocketing out of the hole, and then impacted with a sharp gasp as he found himself lying on his back, staring upward into nothingness.

It seemed like a long time before the warrior made any indication of getting up from his somewhat haphazard position. At first he sat up slowly, propping himself up on his elbows as he tried in vain to see something, _anything_ through this impossible darkness. It was smothering, almost, threatening to close in and suffocate him if he didn't find relief, and fast. At this thought, he shivered. For the first time in a long while, Sokka didn't know what to do. And he felt alone, vulnerable, and most of all, exposed.

_Why do I always have to rush in recklessly?_ Sokka was instantly starting to regret his rash decision, though he would never let his sister get wind of that. As he stood up, his hand instinctively went to the handle of his machete, tensed to draw his weapon at the drop of a pin if need be. He realized, though, that he was at a terrible disadvantage in this darkness, and any conflict that erupted would probably be heavily stacked against his favor. In an instant, however, he remembered something, and was just reaching for his supplies when something broke the silence behind him. It sounded like a dull, high-pitched whine, but to Sokka it may as well have been Appa roaring in his ear as he spun around, heart racing, his weapon up and ready.

The sound was becoming more and more defined with each passing second, which didn't do much for the warrior's nerves as he realized that the source of the sound—whatever it was—was getting unquestionably closer. Without warning, the whine suddenly became instantly clear, enough so that Sokka could discern the fact that it was a human scream. The noise ended abruptly with a sharp cry as something impacted the ground not far from where Sokka stood, making him jump and gaze about wildly, trying futilely to find something in the infinite blackness.

"Who's there!?" the warrior yelled, hating the way his voice cracked. Now was not the time to be timid! "Show yourself!" he called, a little more composed, not really realizing the pointlessness of his command.

"Sokka?" a shaky voice replied somewhere to his immediate right. He knew that voice…

"Aang!?" Sokka exclaimed, his apprehension immediately dissolving into relief. "Is that you? Where are you?"

"I'm pretty sure I'm right next to you, Sokka."

"Wait…like right here?"

"Ouch! That would be my eye," Aang groaned, weakly pushing the offending hand away from his face. "And yes, right here."

The relief was almost overflowing now as Sokka felt himself break out into his first smile in a long time. "I'm glad to see you, Aang."

He heard Aang chuckle softly. "I wish I could say the same, Sokka, but unfortunately I can't see _anything _down here." There was a pause, and then suddenly the two friends were surrounded by a wonderful, warm, orange glow as Aang stood at Sokka's side, a tiny ball of fire in his palm.

"Right, there you are." Sokka was suddenly snapped back into their current predicament, and he remembered what he had been doing before, when Aang had literally dropped in. Reaching backward into his supply bag, he quickly found what he was looking for and pulled out a torch. Grasping it tightly as though it were his last lifeline, he motioned toward Aang. "Here, light this. That way you don't have to keep firebending."

The Avatar swiftly obliged, and all of a sudden their world lit up around them, banishing the darkness for the time being. It was magical, almost, save for the fact that they were alone in an underground cavern. But that didn't stop the warmth of the light from piercing Sokka's very being, instilling him with a newfound sense of confidence as he gazed around at his now-visible surroundings.

The cavern they found themselves in was of considerable size. With the tunnel from which they had entered at their backs, Aang and Sokka marveled at the cave that stretched out before them. It had to be as big as the Earth King's throne room! No fancy door to break down though, Sokka thought ruefully. He could see two other tunnels at the opposite end of the cave extending into the darkness. _Did Toph really do all this?_ he wondered as he turned his gaze upward to the ceiling, which was complete with a generous amount of stalagmites—stalactites? Sokka couldn't remember which—all of them looking sufficiently ominous.

"I guess we should look around," Aang suggested. "We do need to find Toph, after all."

_That_ brought Sokka back to reality. With a nod, he began walking toward the opposite wall of the cavern. "Which way?" he inquired, indicating the twin tunnels that lead further into the darkness.

The Avatar simply shrugged. A moment of silence passed, and it seemed the two had reached a tacit decision as they both headed toward the leftward passage. Sokka had no idea what he expected to find at the other end of the tunnel—Toph, hopefully—but he couldn't help but feel somewhat apprehensive. Not as much as before, granted, but all the same, this had been too easy so far. The pessimist in him was screaming that things were going to get worse, and soon. He tried to push the thought out of his mind.

"Two hours, right?" Aang said suddenly. Sokka glanced over at him and saw that he was pointing at the torch in the warrior's hand.

Sokka thought back to the time when he and his friends had encountered Chong and his band of musical nomads. The ridiculous story almost brought a smile to his face as he remembered their predicament, strikingly similar to this one. In a strange, twisted way, Sokka almost wished the music-loving lunatic was with them at that very moment. The mood would be considerably lighter, that was for sure.

"Two hours," he replied, nodding. There were two more torches in his pack, just in case, he noted.

He prayed that it wouldn't take that long.

* * *

Katara did not have to look very far. She stepped out of their modest dwelling and shivered instantly as the rain wasted no time in soaking through her light layer of clothing. She had forgotten about the storm, and now that it had made itself all too apparent once more, she realized cynically that it certainly wasn't doing much to lighten the situation. Nothing else for it, she ran headlong through the downpour in the direction of the queen's quarters. She could not have run more than a hundred feet, however, before she rounded a corner and almost collided with Jun-Mei herself, an action which probably would not have sat well with the three guards that flanked her.

"Jun-Mei!" she exclaimed. "Erm…Your Highness," she added hastily, realizing her blunder while simultaneously noting the bristling guards. "We…have a problem," she finished lamely.

The queen nodded almost exasperatedly, her form not losing any bit of composure despite the fact that she was standing in a torrent of rain. "This I know." Her voice carried a hint of condescension, but it was faint. "We saw the green light all the way from across the canyon. All of Shili did, actually." Her features carried the hint of a small smile at this statement, though it quickly faded. "I decided to come with a small detail of guards to investigate the matter, though I already suspect the cause. It is what every citizen of Shili has feared ever since our Great Treasure was stolen."

Katara's mind raced for a second as she fought to remember exactly what Jun-Mei was referring to by "Great Treasure". She then recalled their very first conversation with the queen upon entering the city, how Jun-Mei had spoken of another traveler who had stolen something from them. _A very dangerous weapon if used properly…_

"Wait," the waterbender said suddenly. "You mean the—"

The queen held up a hand, effectively silencing the young waterbender. "That will be enough. We accomplish nothing by standing here and talking. If your friend is to be saved—a possibility that is dwindling with each passing second—then we must act as soon as possible."

Katara, a little shocked by Jun-Mei's direct attitude, could only nod before finally regaining a bit of her composure. "You're right. Follow me, Your Highness!"

As quickly and hastily as Katara had arrived, she led the queen and her guards back to their dwelling, back to the site where Toph had made her dramatic and startling exit. She wondered wildly for a moment if Toph, Aang, and her brother would somehow be miraculously waiting for them, smiling and laughing it all off as a huge joke. As the group came to the doorway, however, Katara could plainly see that that was not the case, and was forced to dismiss her wishful thinking. Her thoughts were instead replaced by worried musings of where the Avatar and her brother might currently be, and what shape they were in.

Jun-Mei let out a small gasp as she caught sight of the tunnel leading down into the floor of their room and into the cliff side. Her worst suspicions confirmed, she closed her eyes and spoke. "It is as I suspected. Your friend is under the influence of the _Kongzhi_."

Katara gaped. "_Influence?_ What are you talking about?" All propriety was forgotten.

The queen continued darkly, "She is, in essence, a puppet. A slave to whomever is in control of the _Zhuren_, the controlling jewel."

Katara felt as though she may have been talking to Momo, but she pressed on regardless. "So…who has the _Zhuren_ then?"

Jun-Mei sighed heavily. "Only one other person knows the location of our city. I am sure now that it has to be him."

Katara blinked, feeling as though the air in the room had suddenly become a great deal thinner. "The man who stole the _Kongzhi_ before?"

"Yes. It seems now that the young man from the Fire Nation has returned."

On the trailing winds of these words, Katara thought for a moment that Jun-Mei was referring to Zuko. The reckless former prince and current firelord certainly may have committed such a crime back in his earlier years, but he certainly wouldn't follow up on it _now…_not after all they'd been through. Katara refused to believe it. Jun-Mei must have been referring to someone else, though she couldn't fathom a guess as to who it may have been. She had a feeling that she didn't really want to know anyway.

"So, what are we going to—" Katara's inquiry trailed off in midsentence when she realized that she and the queen now stood alone in the room. Jun-Mei must have already sent the guards down into the tunnel.

Now the queen was looking at the waterbender almost expectantly, waiting for her to make a move. Katara smiled a little ruefully. "Well, here goes something." Turning to look one last time at Jun-Mei, she said, "Don't worry. We'll be back soon."

The queen, surprisingly, offered a rare smile in return. "I would expect nothing less."

* * *

The silence was already beginning to wear on Sokka. He felt tense; on edge for the surprise attack that he was _sure_ was going to come flying at them at any second. He knew that his overactive paranoia was getting the best of him, but dang it, this whole silent darkness thing was driving him up the wall. Even the torch wasn't helping as much as it had initially, and he desperately wished for some light—any light at all—to help relieve him of his nagging sense of foreboding.

"Are you doing okay, Sokka?" Aang questioned lightly, noticing that the warrior seemed about ready to jump straight out of his blue tunic. The Avatar was concerned for his friend, but also was a little wary of the fact that Sokka's ridiculous uptightness was starting to rub off.

_No, I'm not okay! It's dark and it's too quiet and something's going to come flying out at me and we're all going to die buried in this awful place and I'm never going to see the light of day again and I'm also a little hungry, but other than that… _"I'm fine," Sokka replied earnestly, glancing down at his tattooed companion. "Although I'm starting to think maybe going left was a bad idea."

Aang laughed, and the melodious sound helped to lighten the mood, if only a little bit. But still, it helped. "Well, maybe. But we'll never know until we get to the end."

The two companions continued, forging ahead as the tunnel stretched ever onward. To Aang, this brought back memories of the time when he and Iroh had dug their way down into the bowels of old Ba Sing Se, only to be attacked by Azula and Zuko. He shivered slightly. That encounter had not ended well at all, though he reminded himself that he was on a vastly different level now than he was then. He had no intention of taking a lightning bolt to the back again. _I'll just have to be ready this time,_ he thought calmly.

Sokka, on the other hand, was nearing his limit. He was about to speak up and voice his concerns when he suddenly saw a faint light in the distance. They were nearing the end of the tunnel! "You see that, Aang?" he exclaimed excitedly. "We're coming to the end!" All else forgotten, he broke into a brisk jog.

"Sokka, wait up. Maybe we shouldn't be rushing into things!"

But Sokka paid him no heed. All this time in the dark had done a number on the warrior's state of mind, and he rushed on toward the light like a starving man toward food. The torch flickered and sparked happily in his hand as he ran, as though it shared his relieved sentiments. Aang, not wanting to be left alone in the darkness, was forced to keep pace with his friend. After spending what had seemed like hours in the unsettling dark, it took the two friends no time at all to reach the mouth of the tunnel.

Sokka gasped as he looked around. The cavern the two had found themselves in was indeed illuminated, providing the faint light that the warrior had spotted back in the tunnel. The source of the luminescence was unclear, however; the cavern walls just seemed to radiate a sickly green hue, giving the entire cave a decidedly sepulchral air. To his right he could see yet another tunnel leading off into the darkness. The rock rose at the opposite side of the cavern to form two adjacent ledges separated by a sharp dip, each hugging the walls of the cavern and tapering off to ground level as they approached the middle of the cave. Atop one of these ridges, in the corner, there was a third tunnel, one which seemed to have a more natural glow emitting from within. _It must be another tunnel to the surface!_ Sokka surmised.

Aang's attention, however, was drawn immediately to the dip in between the rock ledges. In this space sat another rock ledge, though this one could not have been more than knee-high. It reminded the Avatar ominously of a sacrificial altar, a comparison that was gruesomely reinforced when he saw what lay upon it.

"Sokka!" he cried. "Look there!" He gestured wildly toward the small ledge.

The warrior's gaze met the object of Aang's indication, and he could only gasp one word before running full-sprint over to the makeshift pedestal. "_Toph…_"

The girl was deathly silent, and Sokka feared the worst as he approached the ledge which supported the unconscious Earthbender. Aang was not far behind, a horrified gaze fixed upon his features as he too took in the sight.

"Toph," Sokka said gently, almost pleading. He reached out and softly touched her face, his fingers tracing the curve of her cheek. "Toph, come on, speak to me. Are you okay?"

His efforts were fruitless. Toph still did not stir, and Sokka started to become desperate. "Come on Toph, wake up. Let's get out of here. We can get back to the surface, climb on Appa, and fly away and pretend none of this ever happened." The warrior heard the pleading in his own voice, and realized how much he wished he could do just what he had proposed. But it would not be; Toph still refused to awaken.

Aang kept silent through the whole ordeal, watching his friend slowly but surely break down as he tried again and again to rouse their friend, each time meeting the same result. He sighed hopelessly, wondering just how they could get themselves out of their current predicament. He and his friends had done the impossible before, and he wondered if maybe, just maybe, the Spirits would see fit to let them do it again.

Sokka suddenly turned to Aang, and the Avatar could see the faint beginnings of tears in his eyes. "Aang…" the warrior said hoarsely. "Do you think she's…you know…?"

"She's not dead," a voice said from behind the two.

Sokka jerked upright as though he'd been set on fire. In an instant, adrenaline rushing, he whirled around and gaped as he discovered the source of the voice. He was about to say something, _anything_ to try to make sense of this new turn of events, but Aang beat him to it this time.

"_You!_" the Avatar exclaimed accusingly. His words didn't carry the same weight that they may have at one point in time, but still, of all people, he wasn't expecting to run into _him_ again anytime soon. Certainly not down here, in the bowels of some unnatural cave that his possessed friend may or may not have carved out.

"Me?" Firelord Zuko mocked, leaning casually against the wall of the cavern, arms crossed. His face carried a small smirk; if anything, he looked amused by Aang's reaction. "What, aren't you happy to see an old friend?"

It was now Sokka's turn to cut in. "I'd be a lot happier if my friend wasn't dead," he spat bitterly, gesturing toward the Earthbender.

Zuko stared. "I _said_ she wasn't dead," he reiterated, a hint of exasperation playing on his voice. "You guys sound like you've been spending a little too much time in the dark. I mean, you can _see_ that she's breathing."

"You don't know the half of it," Aang consented vaguely, already grateful for the Firebender's presence.

Sokka, meanwhile, had returned to Toph's side. Zuko was right; the warrior could see Toph's breathing in the form of a faint mist emanating from her mouth at even intervals. It was a huge relief; Sokka could almost feel the weight lifting from his shoulders as he watched over his friend in her comatose state. However, something still nagged at him.

"Why won't she wake up?" he wondered aloud.

"I don't know," Zuko confessed, apparently having overheard the warrior. Sokka turned around and met the firelord's gaze. "I tried waking her when I found her," Zuko continued. "I came in through the entrance in this room." He indicated the faintly lit tunnel that sat atop the rock ledge in the corner of the cavern. "Nothing worked, so I decided to explore the cavern. It turned out both tunnels lead to the same place from this room, so I came back and ended up here…" he paused, as though for the added dramatic effect, "…and then I ran into you two," he finished simply.

As he finished the story, Aang could see that something was clearly bothering the former prince. A little wary of bringing even more bad news into the situation, the Avatar threw caution to the wind and asked, "Zuko, what are you doing here anyway?"

Zuko glanced up in surprise. Clearly, it was not a question that he had been expecting. "I was following someone," he began slowly. "A man dressed in black. I tracked him all the way from the palace to here when I found this tunnel. I figured I would find him here."

"Wait!" Sokka exclaimed, startling the both of them this time around. "I think I may have seen this person too." He recalled his fateful encounter with the man who had been spying on their campsite, how Toph had saved him… He pushed the thought from his mind and continued. "Did he always have his hood up so that you couldn't see his face?"

Zuko thought for a moment. "Actually, no, I never did get a glimpse of his face. I guess he _was_ always wearing that cloak…"

"That's interesting and all," Aang broke in, "but why were you after him in the first place?"

"He attacked the palace," Zuko replied bluntly. "He stole the _Zhuren_ right out from under my nose…and Mai…" he trailed off.

Aang decided not to press the matter, and instead turned the conversation to the next item on his already very long list of things that were bugging him. "But wait…then where is he? If you searched all over the tunnels and caverns and didn't find him, then…"

"He must be able to disappear into thin air!" came the nightmarish response from the upper corner of the cavern. The three friends all spun around in unison to see—

"_Ying!_" Zuko roared, catching both the warrior and the Airbender off guard. "You scum…I'll make you pay for what you did to Mai!"

True to his words, Ying had seemingly appeared out of nowhere in the far corner of the cavern and was now standing atop one of the ledges with a decidedly malevolent air about him. His laugh was grating as he replied, "Oh really? And tell me, _Firelord_, how do you plan on doing that?"

At this point, Zuko was beside himself. Shaking with rage, he could only point up at the dark figure as he spat, "I challenge you to an Agni Kai!"

Sokka could have sworn that Ying was sneering as he countered, "Your petty laws and rituals mean nothing to me now. If you really want to fight me, then I suggest you give it all you've got…you'll need it."

"No problem!" Zuko snarled as his fingers curled into fists. Wasting no time, he extended both fists toward Ying as he sent a large fireball rocketing toward his adversary.

Ying had expected the brash maneuver, however, and with a disdainful flick of his wrist, the projectile was sent flying straight back to its master. Zuko barely had time to duck as the fireball flew over his head and crashed into the far wall in a shower of sparks that was almost beautiful in an absurd sense, in spite of the situation.

The three gritted their teeth as Ying's horrible high-pitched cackle resonated throughout the room once more. "Oh, this is so _perfect_," he delighted. "So _appropriate_…under the waters of the Chun-Jing River," he went on. "You three are going to perish under water…just as I once did."

Sokka went wide-eyed at this comment. "Who _are _you?" he demanded, impulsively drawing his machete. He remembered his inquiry the last time he saw Ying, and wasn't sure why he expected the answer to be any different this time.

Ying, however, appeared to be in a much more talkative mood this time around, and reached a hand up to grasp the edge of his hood as he spoke slowly and disdainfully. "Oh, you'll remember me," he sneered. "After all, how could you forget an _old friend?_"

The hood was drawn back. And the world seemed to freeze.

Whether they stood there for thirty seconds or thirty minutes, it didn't matter, since the world seemed to have stopped its revolution at that point in time. Zuko was the first to break the silence.

"You…but…it can't be! I watched you die!"

"Did you now?" the former admiral replied contemptuously. "But did you watch the part that happened after that?"

Sokka finally broke in, the situation taking hold of him as he yelled, "But what does this have to do with Toph? What did you do to her!?"

Zhao almost smiled at that. "All in good time, my friend. By the way, I really should thank you for your help. I was almost afraid that you wouldn't deliver the _Kongzhi_ to the girl, but you are as predictable as you are thickheaded…I really couldn't have done it without you!"

* * *

**

Dun-dun-dun! Cliffhanger! Haha, sorry about that. Anyways, I'll be wrapping it up in the next chapter or two, so stay tuned for the conclusion to _Color the Sunset_!

As always, thanks for reading.


	8. Fade

I do not own any creative rights to _Avatar: The Last Airbender_. I do, however, own this story.

Um… yeah. I really, really suck at writing fight scenes. _That_ is my warning.

Anyways, hope you enjoy! It's been a long, fun ride. One that I'm very proud to have been at the helm of.

* * *

Chapter 8: _Fade_

If at all possible, Sokka was almost more confused than angry. The once-deceased admiral's statement had caught him off-guard like a blow to the back, and the warrior found himself shouting indignantly back up toward his adversary.

"What in the name of Kuruk are you talking about Zhao?" Saying the name again sent a chill trickling down Sokka's spine. He hated to admit it, but seeing the man again after thinking him dead all this time disturbed him. He couldn't understand or explain how this turn of events had come to pass, and when Sokka couldn't understand or explain something, it only made him feel that much more uneasy.

"Oh, don't insult yourself," the former admiral sneered. "You're taking all the fun out of this. Do you really expect me to believe you don't know? Should I reenact it for you?"

Enough was enough. Ignoring Zuko's attempts to calm him down, Sokka reached back and ripped his boomerang out of its harness, quick as lightning. Breathing heavily with rage, he bellowed, "That's enough! What did you do?!"

Zhao seemed to sigh. "Oh, I'm scared. I guess I'll just have to tell you _everything_, since you can't seem to remember." He cleared his throat in a dramatically mocking fashion, one which made the warrior bristle before continuing. "It's like I said—it's not what _I _did, but what _you _did for me. What was it again? A birthday present?"

Zuko was well and truly confused at this point. Sokka and Zhao obviously had had some prior encounter; that much was clear. Zhao's words had seemingly struck a chord within the warrior though, and the young firelord turned to see the color draining rapidly from his friend's face. Sokka seemed to be alone in his sentiments, however, as Zuko noted that Aang seemed to be just as lost as he was.

"Sokka?" the Airbender piped up, "What's he talking about?"

Sokka had seemingly heard none of this. His shoulders sagged and he felt like he could barely tear his gaze away from the ground under the weight of Zhao's revelation. _It couldn't be… I didn't…! _When he finally found his voice, he sounded as though he may have just taken a blow to the gut. "You don't mean… the bracelet?"

Zhao cackled with laughter and the warrior's gaze shot up to meet the figure once again at the indignity. "You certainly _are_ a slow one," he condescended. "That is _exactly_ what I mean."

"You left it there for me to find!"

"Of course I did. You are _so_ predictable, too. I see now the ultimate source of your weakness," Zhao declared. His voice seemed to be rising, climbing in volume to its eventual climax. "You allow your emotions control over you. And control you they do—so completely, in fact, that you are nothing more than their puppet, a slave to their call. And now," Zhao grinned sickly, "I have my own puppet to play with."

Zuko grimaced. "You're disgusting."

"Oh, don't give me all the credit," Zhao countered with a maniacal grin. "The girl had to do most of the work. The _Kongzhi's_ host is not always completely receptive to the _Zhuren's_ control. The process may not have been as… _comfortable_ as she would have liked." He paused, looking down at the trio regretfully. "But of course, I had to make a small investment of my own—I had to give the girl a part of _my_ soul, let her have a bit of myself in return for my control."

And in a flash, it all came together. Sokka stood, rooted to the ground, speechless as everything suddenly fell into place. Toph's mysterious sickness, her visions, her eyesight… it was all because of Zhao. _All because of _me, Sokka corrected bitterly. How could he have been so stupid? _I should have known better than to just _give_ her some strange trinket that I found lying around! It's my fault… all of it…_

Aang stepped forward and snapped Sokka out of his stupor. "Let our friend go! _ Now!_ What did she ever do to you?"

Zhao waved his hand dismissively. "I am no longer within your governing, _Avatar_." He spat the last word disdainfully. "What I saw in the girl was potential… a power just waiting to be tapped! I now command a force not even _you_ could comprehend."

"Try me."

"That's right!" Zuko subscribed. "It's three against one. You're outnumbered Zhao."

"Am I? Well, let's just see how 'outnumbered' I really am."

"Gladly," Sokka snarled. Without waiting for any form of retort, he whipped his boomerang with all his might at his foe, pouring all of his heart and anger into the weapon, willing it to find its mark.

In an ironically familiar manner, Zhao simply reached up and batted the projectile away, sending it back on a return course to its thrower. As he did so, he suddenly ducked, lying almost flat to the rock ledge as a boulder from Aang went sailing by, right where his head had been moments before. Another instant and he was standing again, fists outstretched, ready to meet a large fireball from Zuko. As the flaming orb made contact with his hands it seemed to implode, collapsing in a shower of sparks that cascaded harmlessly around him in a ring. Had the situation been any different, the spectacle would have been almost beautiful, something Aang may have expected to see at the Fire Festival.

"Oh, come now," he said mockingly. "Is that really all you can muster?" Not even pausing to catch his breath, Zhao extended his arms out to his sides, and in the next second a ring of flame materialized around him like some demonic serpent summoned by its master. With a laugh that could be described as nothing short of maniacal, he gestured upward with his fingers as the ring exploded into what seemed like millions of sun-apple sized fireballs, hovering ominously in the upper reaches of the cavern.

Aang knew what was coming next. Acting now more through instinct than anything, he yelled, "Take cover!" as he quickly thrust both fists upward, bending a large rock wall up and out of the ground at an angle. He, Sokka, and Zuko quickly dove for shelter under the incline as Zhao rained fire upon them mercilessly, still cackling like a madman.

"How much firepower does he have?" Sokka wondered aloud as the three huddled behind the barrier. It seemed to be holding okay for the time being, and Zhao seemed perfectly content to simply let his fire rain pelt down at them without any real aim or purpose. He was toying with them, and the warrior knew it.

Zuko shrugged emotionlessly. "Who knows? He was _supposed_ to be _dead_. I have no idea what he's capable of!" To be completely honest, the young firelord may have been the most shaken by the former admiral's reappearance. Their duel at the North Pole had been strenuous enough. Now was a completely different playing field, with different rules. It wasn't a game Zuko was sure he could win anymore.

"Didn't you defeat him before?" Aang grunted, trying his best to keep the stone barrier strong.

"That was a long time ago."

"Well, we're going to have to think of something _now._"

"Aang, couldn't you use the Avatar State?"

Aang sighed. "I don't want to hurt Toph by accident! It's just too dangerous in here."

"Well, _that's_ convenient. Any other bright ideas?"

Zhao was almost bored, really. This wasn't nearly as fun or interesting as he had been expecting it to be. And he hadn't even brought out his secret weapon, either… Throwing out a yawn for good effect, he called, "I could keep this going all day, you know!" His lips curled into a smirk. There were upsides to being deceased and brought back to life by a mischievous spirit. Among these was a newfound firebending prowess that was beyond anything he had ever dreamed of attaining.

The next thing he knew however, the rock barrier below him exploded outward, and Firelord Zuko came shooting out of the dust, barreling up toward the once deceased Firebender. He spiraled through the air, propelled by a concentrated blast of wind from Aang. Zhao's raining fire seemed to dissipate around Zuko's body as he rifled upward, countering the former admiral's offensive with some defensive firebending of his own. His features had barely molded into ones of shock and disbelief as a flaming fist from the young firelord connected with his right cheek, searing his skin and sending him tumbling from the ledge with an animalistic snarl.

"And that one's for Mai!" Zuko called vindictively.

Undeterred, Zhao flipped backwards in midair and landed in a squat, a faint smile playing across his pale face. "Somewhat impressive," he smirked. "I see now that I can't take you as lightly as I thought."

"We're just getting started!" Sokka bellowed as he charged, bringing his club down toward the Firebender's head with crushing velocity.

The warrior's strike was just the slightest bit tardy, however, and with what appeared to be a slightly bemused smile, Zhao simply rolled out of the way of Sokka's melee weapon, chuckling as it smashed harmlessly into the stone floor of the cavern. Without warning he lashed out with a sweeping kick, throwing the warrior's legs out from under his body and sending him crashing down to meet his weapon at the rocky surface. No sooner had Sokka landed than a scattershot of fireballs came rocketing toward Zhao, courtesy of the Avatar himself. With a grunt of exertion—or was it disdain?—Zhao flicked his wrist upward and redirected the barrage up toward Zuko, who had taken his place atop the ledge.

Zuko crossed his arms in front of his torso in a last-ditch defensive move, and the fireballs exploded in front of him, blowing him backwards in a wall of searing heat. The firelord grimaced as he felt a dull burning on his arms and chest, and knew that that had been too close for comfort. He only hoped that Aang would think not to use firebending again. Things could get out of hand quickly here if they weren't careful, as it was clear that Zhao was having no trouble in simply redirecting their fire-based attacks. As for himself, well… he'd just have to be more careful, he figured.

Below, Sokka had risen once again and was engaged in hand-to-hand combat with Zhao, swinging his club somewhat haphazardly. The armament wasn't particularly either swift or graceful, and the warrior found to his frustration that he wasn't even getting close to landing a hit, as his adversary chose simply to dodge and sidestep his strikes rather than honor Sokka with even a simple parry. _He's… enjoying this?_ Sokka realized as he looked up to see Zhao dodge yet another blow, a gruesome smirk upon his face. He also noted with some dismay that his arms were starting to ache now from swinging the ungainly instrument, while it seemed that the former admiral had hardly broken a sweat.

Zhao, meanwhile, was growing tired of the charade. Aiming to bring a swift end to the melee, he crouched and formed a fireball in his right fist, preparing to deliver a crushing strike to the warrior's midsection. And the next thing he knew, he was sprawled out on the ground, blown backwards a fair distance by a well-placed blast of airbending from Aang.

Sokka, seizing the opportunity, discarded his club and instead drew his machete, already savoring the feel of the much lighter weapon in his hands. With a burst of speed that surprised even himself, he rushed his foe and slashed sharply with the blade, cutting downward and across his body. The former admiral saw the attack and managed to roll out of the way, but Sokka had anticipated this. He suddenly planted his right foot hard into the ground, and using his momentum from his previous charge, brought his left foot forcefully around his body in a vicious roundhouse kick that connected roughly with Zhao's chin, sending the Firebender reeling backward in a daze.

It was now or never. Zuko knew an opening when he saw one, and with a wild cry, threw himself from his previous vantage point. He hung for a moment, suspended in midair over the struggle between his two friends and the now-downed former admiral. And at the apex of his leap, just as he had started to descend into the fray below, the firelord released a barrage of all the firebending he could conjure, straight down into the arms of his adversary. He could feel all of his hate, all of his sorrow flowing out of him, down through his arms and out in the form of each fireball that he flung wildly toward his target. _Good_, he thought, remembering what his uncle had told him once. _My emotions will only make me that much stronger. _The force of his offensive was so strong, in fact, that Zuko hovered in midair, suspended above the floor of the cavern as gravity and firebending clashed, equalizing each other.

Aang stood rooted to the ground, dumbfounded by Zuko's display. He had no idea that his former enemy had become this powerful… he shivered to think of what may have happened in Ba Sing Se if he'd had to face him in _this_ state. He was snapped out of the reverie, however, by a cry from Zuko, who was clearly appealing for him to attack. Not wasting any more time, Aang took a stance and with a heavy grunt produced a large boulder out of the rock floor of the cave. Rather than send it directly on its way, however, he elected to throw the ordinance straight up into the air. As it began its descent, the Avatar took a deep breath, flipped into the air, and brought his right foot over his head and downward in a sharp axe kick. The motion produced a mighty gale which caught the boulder as it approached the ground, sending it speeding toward Zhao like an oversized cannonball.

Sokka could see what was about to happen, and leapt out of the way as the boulder met its target with a great _crash_, throwing up a shower of dust that mixed with the sparks of Zuko's barrage, which hadn't let up despite the dust's presence, which was obscuring any aspect of visibility that may have been present.

"Zuko," Aang laughed. "I think you've got him."

"Yeah," Sokka assented. "You can stop that now—"

_Boom_. The three barely had time to react as the explosion shook the room. All they knew was that the boulder had quite literally _exploded_ in a column of fire, sending a hail of shrapnel in all directions. Aang was thrown backward suddenly as two rather large chunks caught him in the gut and forehead, leaving him lying on the stone floor, dazed and winded. This went unnoticed, however, as Zhao's counter had been aimed mostly toward Zuko. The firelord was caught off-guard by the column of flame, causing him to cease his attack and drop down toward the floor in a daze.

He never hit. Not on his own accord, anyway. Zhao, seemingly fully recovered, allowed a deranged snarl as he took a running start, kicked off the cavern wall, and launched himself at Zuko's falling form, turning in midair to deliver a sickening flying kick to the firelord's back. Zuko could only let out a strangled cry as he violently changed course, cannoning into Sokka and sending the two friends flying clear across the cavern, eventually crumpling against the opposite wall in a heap.

Aang, still incapacitated, could only watch as the Firebender stalked over toward his two friends, a murderous look written across his features. "Sokka… Zuko…" he gasped weakly, still clutching at his head and stomach.

"I think it's time we brought our little play date to an end," Zhao was saying, cracking his knuckles ominously as he approached the warrior and the firelord, who had made no attempt to rise. "You two need to sit back and let Daddy do his work now." Without another word, his face twisted into a deranged smile as his hands curled into fists, sparks arcing across his fingers.

Sokka slowly craned his neck upward, weakly catching sight of Zhao raising his arms above his head as lightning materialized in his palms. _When did he learn to do that?_ Sokka wasn't sure, nor did he care at this point. An unshakeable drowsiness had overtaken the Water Tribesman, and for some reason, the only thing that concerned him now was trying to get more comfortable so that he might drift off to sleep. It seemed like the most wonderful prospect; much more interesting than that man who was about to kill them…

"Oh, no you don't!" a voice cried from the opposite corner of the room.

_The other tunnel!_ Sokka thought, remembering that there were two ways into the cavern. But who…

The answer to his question came flying out of the darkness in the form of a water whip, snaking around Zhao's arm. Another whip materialized and wrapped around his leg, and then Katara stepped out of the far tunnel. "Not on my watch, Zhao."

Zhao smirked. "Well, this _is_ a pleasant surprise. I guess now that I have a full audience, I can unveil my newest trick! It's sure to be a real crowd-pleaser."

"What are you talking about, you freak?"

"Katara," Sokka rasped, pulling himself weakly to his knees. "Run. Get away. He's going to…"

"Enough talking!" Zhao roared. "I've waited too long to not see my plan come to fruition." He performed a graceful back flip, landing once again on the rock ledge in the corner. "So, just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!" And then he pulled out a red jewel.

"The _Zhuren!_" Zuko exclaimed, the shock of seeing the heirloom shocking him into standing once again.

Zhao offered no rebuttal, for he had closed his eyes and was now muttering something under his breath, holding the jewel like a puppet master would hold the strings of his marionette. Aang, strained to hear from his position, but it was no use.

"What is he doing?" the Avatar wondered aloud.

"Ugh… Sokka?" a tiny voice said from the front of the cavern.

At the mention of his name, Sokka could hardly believe his ears. That voice… no, it couldn't be! He shifted his gaze to the spot in between the two rock ledges, daring himself to believe it. There was just no way that… "Toph?" he said incredulously.

"Sokka?" the girl repeated, pulling herself up so that she was sitting cross-legged on her stone platform. She looked around wildly for a moment, her eyes meeting Aang, Katara, and Zuko, before finally lighting up as they settled on the warrior himself, who was currently half running, half limping toward her position.

"Toph!" he exclaimed happily as he finally reached her side. "Are you okay? You aren't hurt, are you?"

The girl smiled innocently, her emerald eyes radiant. "I'm great Sokka," she said sweetly. "Never been better, in fact!"

Sokka smiled gently as he looked into her eyes. "That's awesome Toph. You really had me…" his voice trailed off as he felt a hand wrap around his wrist, tightening into a vice-like grip. "Hey Toph, what's the deal?" His eyes met hers once again, except this time he found himself staring into two green, glowing pools of light.

"Oh _blubber_…" was all the warrior had time to mumble before he found himself flying across the cavern, thrown by Toph as though he were nothing more than a ragdoll. The girl made no indication of any emotional response as he hit the ground rather unceremoniously and didn't stir.

"Sokka!" Aang cried, fighting to get back on his feet.

"We don't want to hurt you, Toph," Katara said consolingly, her hands in front of her in a peaceful gesture. "Let's not fight. I know Zhao's control is strong, but you have to—"

"_Shut up!_" Toph roared, sending—quite literally—a _wave_ of earth rolling toward the young Waterbender. Katara barely had time to dive out of the way as the undulation went tearing past her, back toward the cavern entrance.

"Miss Katara, are you okay?" the head of the trio of guards called as they finally reached the cavern. Unfortunately they were greeted with a veritable wall of rock, effectively sealing off the tunnel.

Katara sighed. _That was some detail of guards, Your Highness…_

Toph deftly sealed the other tunnel with a flick of her wrist. "Now, _friends_," she said, grinning evilly. "Why don't we all have a little fun?"

Aang, desperately hoping for as peaceful a resolution as possible, threw out a last-ditch blast of air from his outstretched palms, pinning the girl against the wall of the cave. She struggled gamely, screaming threats at the top of her lungs, but Aang held on grimly as he began walking slowly toward the thrashing girl. "Toph, I know you're in there. It's me, your friend. Don't you remember me?" He grimaced, feeling his control slipping in his weakened state. Even if he'd wanted to go into the Avatar State, it certainly wasn't an option now. The thought didn't do much to ease his mind.

For a second, Toph appeared to stop struggling, as though she were deep in thought. "I remember," she began slowly. "I remember… that I have _to kill you!_" Before Aang could even think about dodging her oncoming assault, she threw both of her arms upward in a sharp motion.

Aang felt the ground shift beneath his feet, and suddenly he found the walls of the cavern speeding by him as he was lifted into the air, the ground upon which he stood rising with a fearsome velocity. He glanced upward wildly as the stone ceiling rushed down to greet him, and saw that it was too late. Far too late to even think about evading his now-certain fate. So in one last, desperate effort, he raised his arms and concentrated with all his might on the ceiling above that was now mere meters away.

"Aang!" Katara cried as the segment of floor crashed into the ceiling with a sickening _crunch_. As quickly as it had risen it fell away, and with it, the limp form of the Avatar tumbled down toward the ground. Aang's last-second bout of earthbending had saved his life—barely. Katara caught his unconscious form in her arms and gently set his body against the wall of the cave. Knowing she'd have to deal with him later, she turned back to face Toph.

"Aww, well isn't that sweet?" the Earthbender taunted. "Is your boyfriend doing okay?"

Katara grimaced. As much as she didn't want to fight her friend, she knew that she was dangerous beyond all doubt. If they were to come out of this alive, well then… she could hold nothing back. She knew it, Zuko knew it, and Katara could only hope that Toph would understand it.

"Worry about yourself," the Waterbender countered. Throwing Zuko the slightest of nods, she suddenly lashed out with a water whip, ensnaring Toph's left ankle. "Now, Zuko!"

Zuko, now slightly recovered, snapped into action. Seeing Toph's temporary state of distraction, he sent a barrage of fireballs sailing toward the girl, sweat pouring from his aching limbs as fatigue began to take its toll on the firelord.

Unfortunately for the both of them, Toph reacted just as quickly. Turning, she threw up a flurry of punches, summoning a wall of fist-sized rocks. Each of these stones collided with one of Zuko's shots, exploding in a curtain of sparks and smoke. At the same time, the girl flicked her wrist and sent a wave of sand slicing into Katara's water whip, effectively nullifying the attack. Now free to move, the little Earthbender sent two boulders flying in opposite directions, one targeting Zuko, the other Katara as she leapt into the center of the cavern.

Katara had been expecting the counter and leapt gracefully out of the way, propelling herself aside expertly with a jet of water. Zuko was a bit more clumsy, but he too managed to evade the projectile, diving roughly and rolling into a bumpy somersault. He got up, breathing heavily, to see that he and Katara were now standing in opposite ends of the room, separated by Toph. The girl had made no effort to launch another attack; in fact, it looked as though she was almost trying to decide who to chase next. _Is that what this is to her? A game?_ Deciding to use the lull to his advantage, Zuko quickly launched rope of fire at the girl, extending from his arm.

Seeing this, Katara bended her water over her fists, forming two pulsating blue spheres. She then punched forward with both hands, and a shower of watery bullets shot forth, emanating from her handheld arsenal. And still, Toph stood in the middle of the cavern, unmoving as the attacks came rocketing in from either direction. _Let's see you dodge this,_ Katara thought grimly, still focusing on bending. However, she cried out as she saw what happened next.

Without even going so far as to lift a finger, Toph suddenly sank into the ground, leaving the two elemental attacks on a collision course with each other. As they collided there was a _crash_ and then a deep _boom_ as fire met water, covering the whole of the cavern in an impenetrable curtain of steam.

Katara couldn't even see her hand in front of her face. "Zuko!?" she cried. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," the firelord replied. He sounded extremely distant, like he was trying to talk to her through a rock wall. "I can't see a thing though…"

_This isn't good_. Katara backed up against the rock wall, looking around wildly. She knew it was useless, and that she was now in a very dangerous situation, but she still struggled to see something, _anything_ through the fog. And then, she froze. It was over.

"Don't worry," a voice said from behind her. From _inside the wall_. "You two will be seeing plenty of each other in just a second."

Katara didn't even have time to scream as she felt the wall at her back give a great kick, propelling her violently out into the center of the cavern. The same thing must have happened to Zuko, because a second later the two slammed into each other in midair, colliding with a sickening _thud_ and then crumpling to the ground. Katara turned her head weakly to see Toph striding toward them through the fog as it slowly cleared, and then she blanked out.

Toph approached the two prostrate figures, shaking her head derisively. "Fools," she spat. "How like you _mortals_ to be limited by your own eyesight. I have passed through the spirit realm and back, made a bargain with the darkest of spirits, in order to realize the true extent of my powers. And now… I have become a deity!" she exclaimed, her voice suddenly sounding slightly warped, as though it were mixed with another. And then, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Toph…" Sokka said weakly, forcing a smile. "Come on Toph… this isn't you…"

"_Leave me alone!"_ she roared, throwing the warrior backwards with a flick of her wrist. He crashed roughly against the cavern wall and made no further attempt to rise, though still conscious. "How many times do I have to hurt you? How many times do I have to throw you down before you stop getting back up?" She began advancing on the Water Tribesman.

Sokka chuckled weakly. "Infinitely more than that, I'm afraid. You see, I never leave me friends out to dry when they need me."

"You idiot. I'm not your friend anymore. I've found a new calling in life, and unfortunately, you aren't a part of it," Toph sneered.

The warrior grinned crookedly. "Oh, don't give me that. That's Zhao talking. He's a psycho; don't listen to him. Toph, I know you're in there somewhere. I know… I know _my friend_ is still there."

At this, the distance between the two had closed, and the girl reached down and roughly grabbed hold of Sokka's tunic. Scowling, she punched him sharply across the jaw. "Shut up. Toph is gone, whoever she was. This body is mine now. I will make much better use of it than that weak little girl!"

Sokka tasted blood and his jaw ached, but he ignored it. Coughing weakly, he countered, still smiling all the while. "You're wrong, you know. Toph is one of the strongest people I have ever met. Stronger than me, even though I might not like to admit it. And she's still there." He slowly reached his right hand up and brushed the side of her face. "I can see it. I can see you Toph… you're in there somewhere. I can see… your eyes…"

The warrior's voice cut off abruptly and turned into a high-pitched scream of agony as Toph wrenched his hand from her face and bent it backwards, smiling slightly at the sharp _crack_ that was elicited. "I'm tired of hearing your voice," she declared. "So you know what? I'm going to end this now, before you bore me even further." With that, she brought her free hand back, aiming right between the warrior's eyes.

_How ironic,_ Sokka mused. _I never thought it would end this way…_ "Toph," he repeated, his voice becoming ever fainter. There were tears in his eyes as he spoke, and his voice wavered. "Don't you remember me? Meathead? Snoozles? What about Aang and Katara? Zuko even?"

Sokka paused, seeing that Toph had hesitated for a second. "Don't you… remember the sunset?"

And just like that, something snapped. It was as though the gray, steel clouds had rolled back in the sky to whence they came, revealing the azure sky and golden sun in all of their glory. Sokka swore that he even heard birds singing as the green glow in Toph's eyes faded away, revealing her emerald orbs as they welled up with tears.

"Sokka?" she said numbly, tracing her hand across his bloodied face. "Sokka," she repeated, her voice breaking. "Oh, what did I do?"

"It's okay Toph," the warrior replied, feeling his strength flowing back into his body at his immense relief. He somehow found the energy to reach a hand up and place it on the girl's shoulder. "It's fine. Nothing can—"

"_Fool!_" a voice roared, which Sokka instantly recognized as Zhao's. "Your body is _mine_ now! You will listen to me!"

"Sokka!" Toph screamed, grasping at her head, a panicked look upon her face. "Sokka, he's trying to take me away again!"

"Then don't let him," Sokka said simply, his voice surprisingly calm. "It's your body Toph. It's your choice. You can be whatever you want to be, and no one can tell you otherwise."

"Don't be stupid," Zhao countered. "It is because of _me_ that you have all of this power. Because of _me_, you can see the light of day! Just think… to wake up and see something so simple as the sun greeting you… isn't that what you always wanted?"

"Toph," Sokka said weakly. "Please Toph, don't give in. I need you, Toph… I…"

"I want…" Toph began, standing up, "_…my friends._"

There was a great shattering sound, and for a second Sokka wouldn't have doubted it if someone had claimed that the world was cracking at its seams. But as he looked up there was a great burst of green light from Toph's arm, and time seemed to slow down as what remained of the _Kongzhi_ fell from underneath her tunic, coming to rest on the ground in a smoldering heap.

Without even hesitating, Toph screamed like a wild animal and whipped around, not bothering to take a second glance as she whipped a large boulder up at Zhao with all the force she could muster. The former admiral didn't even have time to react as the rock collided with his body, sending him tumbling down to the ground with a furious yell.

"Hmph," the girl huffed, dusting her hands off. "I knew I wouldn't miss that shot twice."

"You… you _fool_," Zhao roared. "I'll finish you _myself,_ you little—" And just like that, he froze, voice caught in his throat, as though some invisible lasso had shot out from the darkness and ensnared him in its grasp.

"I don't think so," a dark, ominous voice said. Sokka couldn't quite place it, but whoever it was; it chilled him to the core. "I think you've done _quite enough_ for one day."

"Wh-what? Koh? Why are you doing this?" Zhao gasped.

Sokka stared. _Koh!?_

"I agreed to send you back on one condition… that you would bring me a soul in your place. And it seems you have failed me in that regard, my dearest little Zhao."

"I… I tried… if the girl had only been under my control for a little longer…"

"Well you _didn't!_" Koh roared, cutting the former admiral off. "And to top it all off, you've broken my favorite toys! I didn't create those relics just so you could fail, you know… very disappointing. You should have known that the girl would be unsuitable. Her love for her friends is far too strong to be conquered by anything that _I_ could have constructed."

Zhao gasped as though he was being choked. "But… then why did you suggest her to me in the first place?"

At this, Koh laughed heartily, a sound which did nothing to lighten the atmosphere to any degree. "Oh, whoops! I forgot about that. Well, I guess I just thought it would be so much fun to watch! Now come along Zhao, we have some important business to discuss… such as where you'll be spending the rest of eternity!"

"No! You can't!" Zhao cried, a look of panic spreading across his face. "I won't go back!"

But it was no use. The Firebender's body began to glow white, and all of a sudden, Zhao started screaming as though he were on fire. "No! No! Noooooooo!"

There was a great white flash of light. When it faded, Zhao was nowhere to be seen. And the next thing Sokka knew, Toph collapsed.

"Toph!" he cried, struggling to reach her. But his body wouldn't respond; he was still too weak, too hurt to do anything but reach out dumbly with his arm, as though the gesture would pull her toward him.

"Sokka," she groaned, crawling across the stone floor. "Sokka… are you there?" She looked up at him, looked him in the eyes, and Sokka could see with a pang in his heart that her emerald orbs were fading.

"Yes Toph," he said softly, taking her hands in his as she finally met him. "I'm right here. And I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

She smiled through the tears that were running down her cheeks. "Oh Sokka. I can barely… see… you…"

"Toph, are you okay?" Sokka exclaimed as the girl collapsed in his arms. _Please_, he thought. _Don't take her away. Not now._ There was no way it could end like this. Not after all they'd been through. Sokka clutched the girl's small body to his as though he were trying to hold her life force inside, cutting off any chance it had of escaping. "Don't you dare think about going anywhere," he said resolutely. "I care about you too much to let that happen." _I love you_, he finished silently.

"She'll be fine."

Sokka looked up to see Jun-Mei standing at the entrance to the tunnel which she had obviously just reopened, flanked by her three guards. At this sight, his mouth fell open. "You can earthbend!?"

The queen smiled faintly. "Yes. I was one of the original citizens of Shili. I helped to carve the city into this canyon along with my companions, hundreds of years ago."

"But why didn't—"

"I didn't know if I could fully trust you," Jun-Mei admitted. "But I see now that you have overcome the true villains through the strength of your friendships and pureness of heart." Her toned lightened. "And love, as well."

Sokka could have laughed if he weren't aching so much. _Oh… is that all it took?_

"Come now," the queen beckoned, stepping aside as her guards gathered up the other three. "You all need rest. And please…" she smiled considerably now. "Let us actually _treat_ you this time."

At this, Sokka did laugh, ignoring the pain in his chest. With Toph in his arms, he allowed himself to be led back through the tunnel, up and out into the waiting arms of the world above.

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Whew… almost there! Just one little thing left now.

Reviews are delicious. Seriously. Thanks for reading!


	9. Epilogue

I don't own any creative rights to _Avatar: The Last Airbender_. I do, however, own this story.

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**Epilogue: Trying Not to Cry**

The sun had barely begun its daily descent, and yet Sokka could already feel the warmth flowing into his body as he tossed his gear nonchalantly into Appa's saddle, not really caring when he heard the bag spill open as his weapons scattered every which way atop the sky bison's back. A few days' rest had done the warrior a world of good, and he felt like a new person, rejuvenated and looking forward to the future with an open heart. With a gentle sigh, he sat down against Appa's rudder-like tail and leaned back, taking in the smooth, warm breeze that passed through, completing the scene.

"Sokka?" Katara frowned. "Aren't you going to help us load up?"

Sokka didn't hear this, however, as he saw Toph walk quietly over to his side, taking a seat next to him. For a moment the warrior wondered what Appa thought about all the added weight on his backside, but the gentle beast didn't seem to mind in the slightest.

Spirits, everything seemed to be going right. Sokka thought back to his final thoughts in the subterranean cavern, a blush creeping to his face as he turned to the taciturn Earthbender who sat beside him. Zuko had reclaimed the _Zhuren_ and had promised to destroy it as soon as he reached the palace. Jun-Mei had provided them with a generous amount of food and money and had sent them off as friends, welcoming them to return at any time. And now, it looked like it was shaping up to be a beautiful sunset, with Toph by his side. So then…

"Toph, what's wrong?" Sokka said gently, noticing the girl's shaky breathing. With a hint of apprehension, he put his arm slowly around the girl's shoulders. Surprisingly, she didn't pull away, but in fact seemed to lean into him a little bit.

Her verbal response took a bit longer, however. Finally, she said, "I don't want to cry."

Sokka almost laughed; her response was so Toph-like. In a way, it reassured him. "Well, why not? Everyone cries sometimes. Even big, manly men like myself!" He grinned, and was reassured when he heard her giggle softly. "But why do you feel like crying? And why don't you want to?"

"Because I'm _selfish_," Toph said dejectedly.

Sokka was puzzled. It had always taken a lot for the girl to show any compassion for anything other than herself, and this statement had caught him off guard. "What do you mean, Toph?"

"Everything worked out," she stated. "We're all alive, I still have you… I still have you _guys_, I still have my soul, for Spirits' sake!"

"Yes…?"

"But all I can seem to think about," Toph went on, "is that sunset. I'll never see anything like it again." As she finished, a single tear escaped from her cloudy eyes.

Immediately, Sokka's heart went out to the girl, and without really thinking about what he was doing, he pulled her small frame into a tight embrace. "Oh Toph," he said, a slight chuckle escaping his lips. "Once you've seen one, you've seen 'em all. Besides…" the warrior broke into a smile and continued, "…there are far more important things in life than _that._" All rational thought out the window now, Sokka leaned down and quickly kissed the top of her head, as though to accentuate his point. And then he pulled away, intending to leave the girl to her thoughts.

He didn't get too far. A pair of arms wrapped around his midsection, and for a second Sokka thought that the girl was pulling him back so that she might throttle him. But instead, she just held him to her, a soft smile upon her face.

"It's beautiful, you know," she finally said.

"What is?"

"The sunset, stupid."

Sokka stared at this new revelation. "It is?" Of course it was; it just shocked him to hear the girl say such a thing.

Smiling even wider, Toph leaned up and shyly pecked Sokka on the cheek. "Of course it is, silly." She pointed off into the fiery horizon. "Just _look_ at it."

_**The End.

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**

Well, that's it. Thanks to all of you who stuck it out with me for this long; it's been a hell of a ride. And a hell of a lot of fun, too.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the story overall… what you liked, what went wrong, and anything in between. So feel free to drop me a review! You know you want to. ;)

Thanks, as always, for reading.


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